


maybe third time isn't the charm

by murakamism



Series: that (un)conventional teen romance [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Humor, Judoka!Levi, Levi chasing Eren here, M/M, Pining Levi, Romance, Soccer Player!Eren, levi is an asshole in the beginning, this is mostly inner monologues and dorky thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-27
Updated: 2015-05-03
Packaged: 2018-03-19 21:27:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 45,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3624831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/murakamism/pseuds/murakamism
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How could Levi have known that that dorky freshman he had rejected one year ago could turn into a ridiculously attractive soccer player? He wants those stupid big bright eyes and that wide smile that's sweeter than crystallized sugar and that glorious butt that he saw when the object of his affections decided to reject him and run away but hey, Levi Ackerman does not give up. He doesn't lose either.</p><p>An intimidating dorky senior chases a passionately dorky sophomore. It's high school.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. tfw kohai rejects you

**Author's Note:**

> i wanted to write something cute and funny as an apology for the fact that my only other ereri fic is crappy angsty character death. this fic is also crappy, but hopefully not angsty. AND NO ONE DIES. yes.
> 
> inspired by [ that one fanart.](http://ereri-is-life.tumblr.com/post/111201949085/lena-i-have-received-permission-from-the-artist)
> 
> i really hope i actually finish this idk what i'm doing. i don't know how to write these characters. have mercy.

“Levi, I ... I really like you! Please go out with me!”

 

Levi was no stranger to love confessions. He wasn’t sure what he expected, really. From the moment he read the note that had fallen out of his locker he knew who was behind it—probably some lovestruck underclassman that finally gathered enough courage to face him after watching him from afar for a week or two. It had happened before, and it was happening again.

 

They were usually more subtle though. Despite the way the boy in front of him was shaking, he seemed pretty brave enough. The boy took a step forward, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

 

Levi fixed the boy with a blank stare. His eyebrows twitched and he gave off a nasty glare. If the kid went any closer, mistaking Levi’s silence for some form of acceptance, and tried to do something disgusting like _kiss him_ as encouragement, well, Levi wasn’t averse to a physical demonstration of how much he didn’t appreciate that.

 

The boy’s face blanched for a moment, but he didn’t step away. Well, wasn’t that interesting.

 

Still, Levi didn’t feel like wasting any more time.

 

“Look, kid,” Levi spoke, voice finally breaking the silence. “What’s your name?”

 

“Uh, Eren. Eren Jaeger.”

 

Eren was tall and thin. He had a head of half-messed up brown hair, almost as if he had at least _tried_ to look neat and presentable but failed. He was also ridiculously tall and probably a freshman or something, which pissed Levi off to no end. His eyes blazed bright green, reflecting a steely determination that Levi couldn’t understand. Perhaps that determination was the only reason he wasn’t backing away. His hands were certainly still shaking.

 

“Listen, Eren,” Levi spoke again. After taking a second look at the boy, eyes briefly locking into those ridiculously bright eyes _(hey, Disney called; they want their Bambi back)_ , he raised his voice. “I’m turning you down. I’m not interested.”

 

Usually that was enough to make people blush, mumble their apology, go away, and keep the fuck away from Levi forever. Eren _did_ blush, but he only spoke up louder, looking straight into Levi’s eyes.

 

“I know you probably think I’m just a stupid freshman, but I want a chance to get to know you better, Levi! Please give me a chance.” Eren said firmly. Levi didn’t think it was possible to clench your fists that hard.

 

“I’m not interested in you at all. Find someone your own age and move the fuck on, Eren. I’m busy.” Levi snapped.

 

Eren bit his lip, his own brows furrowing. He blushed even harder, though now Levi wasn’t sure if it was out of embarrassment or anger. Perhaps both.

 

“F-fine.” Eren mumbled.

 

Levi turned and walked away without missing a beat.

  

 

 

 

 

Hanji was late. Again. That was no surprise. If Hanji was actually on time for something that wasn’t related to science or life-threatening situations, then Levi would probably check the sky for flying pigs or sun flares.

 

Still, as much as he was used to her antics, he was exhausted and just wanted to go home. He was just going to have to leave her behind.

 

He sent her a text. Even the soccer team was finished with their practice. The sky was growing dark, tinged with orange and red and pink from the setting sun. A cool wind started to pick up, and Levi was grateful. Summer was almost here, and he just wanted to go home and wash off the disgusting grime he had probably picked up from the day.

 

Levi slung his backpack over his shoulder, shoved his hands into his pockets, rushed forward, and... promptly smacked into someone who had been running at high speed.

 

He took a few steps backwards and rubbed at his forehead. He glared at the person in front of him and almost growled out his complaint. _Shit, you idiot, that really hurt._

 

“If you’re going to run around like a stupid chicken, you should watch where you’re going.” He said lowly. The student in front of him also seemed irritated as he rubbed at his jaw. Well, if Levi’s head smacked him especially hard on the chin then he deserved it.

 

“It’s not my fault you were too busy looking at the damn sky,” the other student spit out angrily. His tone caught Levi off guard, and he decided to finally _really_ take a good look at him... and _shit, this boy was gorgeous._

 

He was wearing a soccer jersey and had a duffel bag at his side. He had finally stopped rubbing his chin, and was instead glaring at Levi with such intensity that caught the senior off-guard. The boy’s wide eyes were a stunning shade of green that Levi couldn’t name—or hey, maybe it was more than just one shade of green, Jesus Christ, he wasn’t a damn artist but this boy was probably sculpted by a god.

 

His hair was brown and messy but looked unbelievably soft and damp, whether from a shower or some crazy sweat Levi wasn’t sure (and he sincerely hoped it was the former). His skin was tanned and his legs went on and on—

 

Okay, Levi might have accidentally been staring far longer than he should have.

 

“Stop looking like you want to kill me. I’m sorry, all right? You okay?” The boy asked. He still looked mildly miffed, but if he was concerned over Levi’s facial expression and mildly lecherous thoughts (hopefully the kid wasn’t a mind reader, because if so then this was going to get awkward real quick), then he couldn’t have been all bad.

 

“I’m fine,” Levi grumbled, a bit lower than he’d liked. “And I doubt I dislocated your jaw.”

 

The taller boy laughed. (Then again, most guys were taller than him, Levi thought bitterly. This bitterness was quickly replaced by the thought of _shit, I want to hear that laugh again._ ) “No, I’m not that fragile, but thanks.”

 

Levi gave him another once-over and raised a brow. Well, might as well try it.

 

“What’s your name?” he asked. As soon as he spoke, the other boy’s grin was quickly wiped off his face. He looked miffed again, with his brows furrowed.

 

“You don’t remember?” He asked, almost accusingly. A blush slowly made its way across his cheeks, and despite his sharp tone he also seemed embarrassed. He looked away from Levi and brought up a hand to rub at the back of his neck.

 

“Have we met before? Because I’m pretty sure I would remember someone like you if we did.” Levi replied, bringing his voice down. It came out silky. “Come on, give me a name to a face like yours. I’m Levi.”

  

Eren’s eyebrows shot up and he looked back at Levi, with his eyes wide and his face steaming red. He looked scandalized, almost. For a split-second, Levi swallowed in horror. Shit, did he sound too desperate? He was already regretting everything. If this beautiful kid thought he was a creep then he was already halfway to his grave.

 

_Great job, Levi. Intimidating people since 1996._

  

Maybe flirting with the stranger you bumped into was a bad idea. Gorgeous stranger, bad idea.

 

“I don’t know if I should be glad or not that you don’t remember me. Um, I’m Eren. Eren Jaeger.” The boy said warily, looking back at Levi. He met Levi’s steel gray eyes and shifted on his feet.

  

Levi raised a brow. What did he mean?

  

Oh, wait. It was coming back now.

  

Tall and lanky. Embarrassingly messy brown hair. Shaking fists. The love letter. That cliché confession after school. The kid’s bravery to actually demand that Levi go on a date with him. Eren Jaeger. Little Eren.

  

Levi’s brows raised in surprise. So he had turned out pretty hot. Well, puberty did wonders. As did athleticism. Had it really only been a year?

  

He was starting to see the similarities between the awkward freshman and this beautiful stunner right in front of him. Well, Eren’s transformation wasn’t half bad. In fact it was the complete opposite.

  

“Congrats, Eren, you’ve gone through a great deal of improvement.” Levi muttered, eyes twinkling in appreciation. “It might be a year late, but if you still feel the same then I’m definitely reconsidering my original answer.”

  

He expected a startled blush and wide eyes. He expected a spluttered “R-Really?” and then maybe a shy smile. Levi did not expect narrowed green eyes.

  

“Did you expect me to spend a year hung-over your rejection?” Eren accused. He was pouting. Shit, he was pissed off, but it was adorable. Levi couldn’t stop looking at him. “I know you’re known as a heartthrob, but I wasn’t obsessed with you.”

  

Was that a rejection? Holy shit, did a sophomore just reject Levi Ackerman?

  

“I’m not asking the Eren Jaeger who confessed to me last year. I’m asking the Eren Jaeger right now, the same one that bumped into me after sprinting in the middle of the damn football field and almost knocked me onto my ass. It’s a coincidence that you two are one and the same.” Levi said. He didn’t remember the last time he spoke so much to a nearly-stranger. Other than threatening other people and telling them to piss off, that is.

 

“Why are you asking me out right now then?” Eren asked. Levi gritted his teeth. Wasn’t it obvious? Did Eren just want him to admit it?

  

Levi was being generous. To make his growing irritation known, however, he narrowed his eyes and glared at Eren. Maybe he could intimidate the kid to get over his rejection from last year. Really, wasn’t Eren glad that he was trying to forget about that mess?

  

To Levi’s surprise, Eren glared back. It was so familiar that it made his chest hurt a bit. Oh well, that was one thing that didn’t change.

  

It didn’t need to change, though.

  

Oh wow, he did not just admit that.

  

“Why the fuck do you think? You’re ridiculously attractive.”

  

“So what?”

  

Levi glared at him even harder. Wow, this kid was a pain in the ass. _Maybe he’d let you be a pleasure in his._

_Shut up, Levi_.

  

“’So what?’ What kind of stupid question is that? Why the hell did you ask me out last year even though we’d never even met before?” Levi bit back.

  

Levi only belatedly realized that he probably asked Eren out for the same reason. Oh well, that meant they were even, right? Eren should just go out with him and have some fun. A lot of people thought that Levi had a stick up his ass, but it seemed like Eren had an even bigger one, goddamnit.

  

The more he thought about it, the more embarrassed Levi got. What was the point of this again? Shit.

  

Eren looked more embarrassed now. He was still blushing, and his hand was clenched tight around the handle of his duffle bag. He refused to meet Levi’s eyes and looked away. He looked adorable.

  

Levi’s heart swear to God skipped a beat. There goes his blood circulation.

  

“I was a freshman. I thought you were so cool.” Eren mumbled.

  

Levi smirked.

  

“Well, I think you’re adorable. Go out with me, Eren. Let’s have some fun.” Levi said lowly. He almost purred. Now commencing attempt two at seducing Eren Jaeger.

  

“I—-“ Eren paused, still looking away. Levi hated that. He wanted to see his stupid big bright eyes. Levi wanted Eren to smile and laugh at him. Levi also wanted to make out with him, preferably against a wall or even in his bed, but that could wait.

  

“Eren!” someone called out loudly. Eren turned his head and stared at the source of the voice. In the middle of the football field stood a girl with a red scarf. Beside her was a short blonde who was waving his arm. The girl yelled out, “We’re going home! Hurry up!”

  

“Ah, right! Sorry, sorry!” Eren yelled back. He ran a hand through his hair and Levi resisted the urge to flatten it down for him.

  

He gave Levi one last tentative glance.

  

“Sorry, Levi, maybe another time.”

  

Eren quickly turned away and ran towards his friends, clutching his duffel bag tight.

  

Levi stood still. A breeze ruffled his clothes as he was eventually left alone. Was that a rejection? Or a promise? Did he even have any hope? Did he just make a fool out of himself?

  

Levi’s fingers twitched. It was a very gentle rejection.

  

Still, he was determined to change Eren’s mind. He didn’t know why, but he wanted to very badly. He hadn’t wanted something this badly in a while.

  

As Levi watched Eren run off, his eyes trailed on the younger boy’s figure. Great, Eren even had an amazing ass.

  

Watching Eren and his butt run off soothed Levi’s little heart and took off some of the burn.

  

Well, Eren would be his. Very soon. He was going to make sure of it.

 

Third time's usually the charm.


	2. how not to romance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was supposed to be funny why did it get so serious? i know eren's being r nice here but i'm going to try and write more of his snappy sassy side the more levi bugs him. also, the more i write, the more i realize that these two are going to be ooc. whoops.
> 
> thank you so much for your comments and kudos (and it's only been two days)! you guys are amazing <3 <3

“I need to make Eren Jaeger fall for me,” Levi declared, sliding into his usual lunch table. The cafeteria always filled up quickly, but most tables were claimed by the usual people anyway. Levi’s friends—fellow seniors—had the advantage of holding down a table near the doors. It was at a strategic location, really.

 

“Oh ho ho, what’s this, Levi?” Hanji asked enthusiastically. She leaned in towards him, face much too close for Levi’s taste. He moved away and shoved her back roughly. She only laughed.

 

“Isn’t he just a sophomore? What could you possibly want from him?” Hanji teased with a wide grin. It was obvious that she knew what he wanted, perhaps even more than Levi knew himself.

 

He clicked his tongue.

 

“So you’ve tried and tried but still failed, right?” Erwin asked, right to the point as always. He peeled open a packet of yogurt with perfect poise. That expensive organic brand definitely was not on the school menu. “We’re always glad to help, Levi.”

 

“But you’re being very straightforward today. I’m sensing some love and sexual frustration in the air!” Hanji exclaimed, putting her hands together. Levi growled.

 

It wasn’t _love_. He wasn’t an idiot that believed in love at first sight. The brat was damn attractive, yes, but he had an insanely short temper and was reckless to boot.

 

The sexual frustration, though...

 

“I don’t know what his problem is.” Levi continued. His eye twitched as he poked at the sorry excuse for cafeteria spaghetti. It was edible, but it looked disgusting. “I flirted with him, asked him out, and he asked me why. I told him it was because he was hot as hell, but he could only say, ‘ _So what?’_. What a pain in the ass.”

 

He shoved his fork into the spaghetti a bit too roughly. Two plastic tines broke off.

 

God, why did he sound like a heartbroken teenager?

 

_Probably because he was._

 

“And then he rejected me.”

 

“It looks like you’ll have to be romantic,” Erwin said. He chuckled when Levi glared at him. The idea of Levi giving his underclassman flowers and being lovey dovey and generally _not_ Levi was hilarious, apparently.

 

“The moment he says something stupid I might end up shoving some chocolates down his throat, and then he’ll get pissed off and probably never talk to me again. I’ve tried to intimidate the brat but he fucking glares back.” Levi muttered through gritted teeth.

 

Hanji gave a low whistle.

 

“Looks like you’ve found your soulmate.” She said.

 

“Anything else?” Erwin asked calmly.

 

“Apparently he was the same brat who confessed to me a year ago. I rejected him then.” Levi sighed. “And now I ask him out and he _rejects me_. What the hell. What the hell.”

 

Hanji laughed loudly, smacking Levi on the shoulder.

 

“The tables have turned! Oh my god!” She said in between fits of giggles. Levi clenched his fists.

 

“It’s not funny.”

 

“Not for your dick, no, but I think it’s hilarious!”

 

“Come, now, Hanji, let’s not laugh at Levi’s pain. Not in front of him,” Erwin said with a smile.

 

_Why am I friends with these morons?_ Levi thought.

 

“Eren Jaeger. He’s on the soccer team.” Erwin spoke up quickly. Levi nodded. So Erwin had heard of him. At least that was a start. Maybe this wouldn’t go as bad as Levi thought it would.

 

Then again, that was what he thought yesterday too.

 

“He only got accepted this year, but they say he’s pretty good. Very determined. Always works hard. The seniors think he’s quite promising.” Erwin continued.

 

So Eren’s determination bled into all aspects of his life, it seemed.

 

“If you go to his games and try to talk to him more during his practices, I’m sure he’ll eventually open up to you,” Erwin suggested.

 

“I don’t want to look like a creep—“ Levi began, but stopped when Erwin promptly gave him A Look. Erwin raised a bushy eyebrow, and Levi couldn’t help but stare at it.

 

Damn your eyebrows, Erwin.

 

Okay, Levi was past _looking like a creep_. He had spent the entire night thinking about Eren’s bright eyes. He was probably a creep. Was it his fault he wanted to get into the guy’s pants?

 

_And his heart._

 

**_No, stop it._ **

Levi wasn’t averse to spending some innocent time with Eren, though. He really liked the kid from the small interactions they’d had, the more he thought about it. He was passionate and refreshing. And he wasn’t afraid of Levi. He was beautiful. He was kind enough to ask about Levi when his jaw was probably throbbing with pain. Levi knew he had a thick skull, you know.

 

“Leviii?” Hanji drawled, waving a hand in front of his face. “Are you thinking about Eren? Stop zoning out.”

 

Levi bit the inside of his cheek. No, he did not blush, shut up.

 

“I’ll corner him after class.” Levi said. “He won’t be able to run away from me.”

 

“Wait, he ran away from you?” Hanji asked.

 

Levi figured he could just intimidate a sophomore into giving him Eren’s class schedule. He pushed the half-eaten tray of spaghetti away and scanned the cafeteria for any other sophomores.

 

He didn’t know most of them, so he was going to have to guess.

 

“Hey, Erwin, which of these kids is a sophomore?” he asked instead, not even bothering to look at his friend.

 

Or ask Erwin. That usually worked.

 

“It would be easier to ask his friends, you know,” Erwin replied. “Perhaps some of them would even be willing to cooperate.”

 

There was a short silence where Erwin’s words sunk in. It was then broken by Hanji.

 

“Ohh, who do you think would want to play matchmaker out of all of them?” Hanji asked, pointing at a group of students far away. Erwin and Levi followed her finger with their gazes.

 

Across the cafeteria, almost hidden away from sight, was an overcrowded table. Levi saw Eren sitting right in view. He was talking very quickly while making gestures with his hands. Right next to him was a familiar dark-haired girl with a red scarf. On his other side was another familiar blonde boy.

 

They were talking to some other students whose backs were to Levi.

 

Eren laughed. Levi couldn’t hear it, of course, but he could almost imagine it. It was loud and all over the place. Eren’s smile was wide, and his eyes crinkled up at the edges.

 

It was fucking magical.

 

“Do you recognize any of them, Erwin?” Hanji asked again, leaning over the table to smile up at Erwin. The blonde looked over at Eren’s friends, eyes scanning each one of them.

 

“Only barely,” he replied.

 

Eren was laughing again, and Levi wondered what would happen if he just got up and walked over to Eren’s table and asked him out. Would he get rejected again?

 

He wanted to try. But it would be so embarrassing. Levi never lost his cool. Maybe he should try when they were alone again...

 

“The blonde coconut-head looks pretty timid.” Levi said. “I’m sure they’re close too. I’ll go ask him.”

 

“Don’t scare them too much, Levi,” Erwin muttered.

 

“Don’t traumatize them. That could make the difference in your relationship with Eren!” Hanji said. She looked over at Eren’s table again. “And if that little green-eyed boy is him, then wow, you’ve got a great eye, Levi. He’s adorable!”

 

_And he’s mine_ , thought Levi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After some cornering (Levi appearing out of nowhere with a dark expression on his face), intimidation tactics (Armin Arlert squeaking out in surprise and wondering what he did to piss off such a scary senior), and casual conversation (Levi demanding to know Eren’s class schedule, which Armin only gave out with great hesitation... he really did fear for his friend now), Levi had managed to discover that Eren’s last class for the day was P.E.

 

Levi was never so glad to be near the gymnasium at that moment.

 

He carefully peeked into the gym. The P.E. teacher, Keith Shadis, angrily blew out a whistle. The class was currently playing volleyball.

 

Levi spotted Eren. The younger boy was crouched down low, brows furrowed in concentration. As soon as the ball approached him he leaped up and spiked it with such force that even Levi almost flinched.

 

A very tall but nervous boy at the other side of the net avoided the ball at the very last moment.

 

Eren’s team won the final point in the game. As his teammates congratulated him, he jumped up and down excitedly and started high-fiving everyone else. He was much too energetic for winning a class volleyball game, but by now Levi had realized he was a little... intense.

 

The bell rang, signalling the end of classes, and as Eren and his teammates made their way to the showers, Levi could only tap his foot impatiently.

 

After texting Erwin and Hanji—with both of them wishing Levi good luck—for several more minutes, the sophomore class began to trickle out. Some students were surprised to see Levi hanging around suspiciously at the gym entrance, but he shot them all a glare and they all ran away.

 

Eren was one of the last ones to leave.

 

He was talking to a dark-haired boy with freckles. They both laughed and joked with each other. Levi’s grip on his phone tightened. They were too close to each other, and it pissed him off.

 

Why was it pissing him off? _Calm down,_ Levi told himself. _Don’t let your emotions get the better of you._

_They already had, though._

 

Eventually the freckled boy left and Eren was alone again. Here it was.

 

“Eren,” Levi said. Eren almost jumped. He hadn’t noticed Levi lingering near the doorway. He blinked at the senior, confusion painting his features.

 

Levi was almost distracted by his big eyes and his damp hair. Ah, damn, he couldn’t zone out at this time.

 

“Um, what’s up, Levi?” Eren asked with a tentative smile. Levi almost breathed a sigh of relief. If he was smiling, even if it was small and nervous, then that was a good thing, right?

 

“Are you free after school tomorrow?” Levi asked. “I want to take you out for coffee. Or doughnuts. Or cake. Take your pick.”

 

He leaned against the wall casually. Or faux-casually. If Eren thought he was cool a year ago, then he definitely had to play up his cool-factor. Yes, Levi knew what he was doing, just look at him.

 

Eren only raised a confused brow at him.

 

“You want to hang out?” he asked.

 

“I want to go out with you. A date, Eren,” Levi replied coolly.

 

“You already asked me that yesterday,” Eren replied, smile faltering.

 

“I’m asking you again today. Go out with me, Eren.”

 

Levi’s voice was more on the demand side than asking, but he wasn’t one for details.

 

“Why do you keep asking?” Eren asked. He began to blush and started to fidget with the hem of his shirt. His tone was rising, but Levi thought he looked adorable. He looked so shy and trapped. Oh, if only he could see more of that.

 

“Because I like you.” Levi muttered. As if it wasn’t obvious. He resisted the urge to scoff and smack the kid on the head. That wouldn’t be... romantic.

 

“But why do you like me?” Eren asked louder. He looked legitimately concerned and confused. His brows were furrowed so close together Levi wanted to reach out and soothe them. Eren shouldn’t look so upset in his presence.

 

“You’re adorable,” Levi began. He paused and swallowed a lump in his throat. Now or never. _Make him swoon, Levi. Bring out your damn bedroom eyes and bedroom voice. Make the kid drop his fucking pants._ “Your eyes are so beautiful they’re mesmerizing. I love everything about you. Your smile is so bright it could power an entire fucking city. And... And I know you’re kind. You’re interesting. You’re not afraid to stand up to me.”

 

He looked up at Eren, hoping for a spark. He searched the sophomore’s wide eyes, hoping for something like adoration or happiness.

 

His confession was spontaneous, but he figured Eren would like the figures of speech.

 

“You don’t even know me, Levi,” Eren replied softly. He looked down. “I don’t even know you that well either.”

 

Levi took a few steps towards him. His fingers twitched at his sides. He wanted to lift Eren’s chin and make the boy look at him, smile at him. But he didn’t. He kept his hands firmly at his sides and looked up at Eren as intently as he could.

 

“That’s why you should give me a chance,” Levi whispered. “Let’s get to know each other, Eren. Go on a date with me.”

 

There was a long silence. Levi was growing impatient, but he was willing to wait. Maybe if he reached out and held Eren’s hands—

 

“Levi, I’m sorry but, uh, can we just hang out normally first?” Eren asked. He paused and leaned back, as if uncomfortable with their sudden proximity. Levi’s heart fell.

 

“This is just. This is just really weird, you know?” Eren gave a nervous laugh and reached up to rub the back of his neck. Levi snorted.

 

“I don’t usually do this sort of thing,” he mumbled in reply.

 

“Levi, I don’t want to go out on a date with you.” Eren said again, looking into the senior’s eyes. “But I don’t hate you, okay? I just, I don’t know.”

 

Levi sighed and pulled back. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes for a moment.

 

He opened them, and Eren was still there. Still staring at him with those big eyes. It made Levi’s throat burn.

 

“If we ever meet each other again and become friends then maybe we’ll get to go out on a date. You never know,” Eren said.

 

“Are you that uncomfortable with me?” Levi asked, eyes narrowing. “Do I... Do I creep you out?”

 

Eren’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “No, no! It’s not that.”

 

“Then what is it?”

 

“I just... I don’t think we liked-like- each other for the right reasons.” Eren explained.

 

Levi’s eye twitched. What did Eren expect? What did this brat think? What was going through his head? Did he like Levi or not? God, this was getting tiresome.

 

Every instinct Levi had told him to leave this stupid sophomore behind. If he was going to play around with Levi’s feelings like that... give him hope then yank it out of Levi’s hands... then he shouldn’t even bother giving him the time. He shouldn’t be wasting any more effort on this ridiculously bright-eyed teenager.

 

Where was all that passion and determination Eren was known for? Why was he suddenly so... soft? So shy? He was being nice, but it was a rejection and it made Levi’s breath hitch.

 

“What the hell does that mean?” Levi asked, trying to level his voice. Eren looked a bit alarmed, perhaps because of his previous silence or perhaps because of his tone of voice. Levi didn’t know.

 

“This is... This is a bad idea.” Eren said.

 

“What?”

 

“I’m trying to be nice about it, Levi.”

 

“If you want me to leave you alone forever, brat, then just tell me.”

 

“That’s not what I meant!”

 

“Then what do you mean? You’re not making any sense, Eren.”

 

“I just don’t think we should date. But I do like you.”

 

“You like me but you’re rejecting me. I don’t—what does that even mean? You think I’m an okay person but you’d rather I—“

 

Levi stopped. Maybe Eren thought he was an okay person but he would never return his feelings. Maybe one year apart was enough to put him off Levi forever.

 

Shit, feelings.

 

When did Levi ever acknowledge the fact that he’s got _feelings_ for Eren? That maybe it’s a crush, or maybe it’s something growing bigger than that? Something that’s eating him alive, making him want to see Eren, to be with Eren, to be Eren’s?

 

When did Levi ever acknowledge that he wanted something more than a date or a make-out session or maybe even a fuck if he was lucky?

 

Eren was starting to fidget more. Now he refused to look Levi in the eye. Fuck.

 

This was awkward as hell. And painful too.

 

“Uh, see you around, Levi,” Eren muttered. He gave a small awkward smile before promptly walking away.

 

Yes, he did still have a great ass. But this time, seeing Eren walk away from him once again only further worsened the burn in Levi’s chest.

 

Levi was paralyzed.

 

He hated that damn brat.

 

He hated him.

 

But now, more than ever, he wanted to find another way to woo him. Shit, Levi would have to try harder this time. Maybe ask Erwin for more advice. Maybe demand the blonde coconut-head for more cooperation.

 

It wasn’t over yet. Eren hadn’t said that he never wanted to see Levi again, right? He just had to take things slow.

 

Now how would he manage that?


	3. levi, interrupted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm afraid that starting this chapter, you're all going to learn that my pacing is shit.
> 
> but thanks for your continued support! i'm trying to write a sassier eren. eventually these dorks will be more comfortable w each other.
> 
> coincidences are much more fun, as u guys will soon see.

The old school showers were busted. Again.

 

The old pipes groaned ominously. Levi spun the tap but water refused to come out. Instead, there was another rumble from behind the shower wall.

 

“You’re kidding me,” Levi mumbled under his breath.

 

After another creak, a torrent of brown water came rushing out. Levi yelped and took a step back, watching the stream of dirty water emerge with disgust.

 

He closed the tap and sighed. Looks like he had to walk all across campus and use the showers near the football field. Great.

 

 

 

 

 

Luckily enough, the soccer team wasn’t practicing at all. Levi and some of his fellow judo club members had the showers to themselves. After scrubbing himself down and dousing himself in soothing warm water, Levi felt better. His exhaustion was mostly wiped away, and he was calmer now.

 

He stepped out into football field and sighed. Students were clumped together on the grass or on the bleachers, all in their little own groups. It looked peaceful.

 

_Maybe I could lie on the grass alone and not think about anything for a while._ All he’d been doing lately was think. It wasn’t healthy.

 

Not to mention that he hadn’t seen Eren in a few days. He still didn’t know what to do, and his pride had been wounded by that second rejection.

 

He had his old towel that was meant to be washed anyway. Erwin was still busy with student council activities while Hanji was probably terrorizing her underclassmen in the science labs.

 

Levi was free. Levi was alone.

 

He trotted off into an empty patch of grass, as far away from the other students as possible, before carefully laying down his bag and his towel. Once he was sure that he wouldn’t touch the ground, he lay down with his arms behind his head and stared up at the sky.

 

An endless blue summer sky.

 

Levi closed his eyes.

 

If he dozed off, then it definitely wasn’t for long, because soon enough he was woken up by some fighting.

 

“Ha, you should have seen your face! You were so scared!”

 

“I wasn’t! Shut up! Your face is scary enough on its own, Jean!”

 

“You’re just insulting me because I’m right!”

 

“Maybe I’m just insulting you because it’s true.”

 

“At least I don’t squeak like a little girl!”

 

“I don’t squeak! And at least I don’t fucking _neigh_.”

 

“Shut the hell up, Jaeger!”

 

“Why don’t _you_ shut your mouth?”

 

There was more scuffling. The two students gave angry yelps and kept on throwing insults. Somewhere in the distance was a loud collective sigh. Whatever they were fighting about, they were being too loud, and they were _too close_.

 

Levi’s eyes snapped open and he got up unsteadily, quickly finding the source of the noise.

 

They were still going at it. And they had an audience too, although the audience seemed mostly uninterested.

 

Yes, Levi was glaring. Hard.

 

A tall underclassman with a long face and ridiculous two-toned hair was grappling with another boy with a familiar head of messy brown hair. Neither of them had noticed Levi yet.

 

He stalked closer.

 

The boy with two-toned hair threw a punch as Levi approached, still unaware of the angry senior’s existence. The boy with messy brown hair ducked, and the fist almost collided with Levi’s nose.

 

He held up a hand and gripped the boy’s wrist tight.

 

Two-tone finally noticed him and gulped, his face instantly blanching.

 

The brown-haired boy finally looked up, and his eyes widened in surprise. It was Eren. Eren looked terrified.

 

“Quiet the fuck down, will you? I was trying to take a nap,” Levi growled. “Go take your stupid noisy asses _somewhere else_.”

 

Two-tone was shaking, and Levi finally released his arm.

 

Eren stood up unsteadily for a moment before huffing.

 

“You don’t own the entire field, Levi.” He said.

 

Levi turned his head to him, meeting his eyes. “No, but you could have picked a better place to fight. Maybe where there was _nobody sleeping_.”

 

“We didn’t even notice you!” Eren exclaimed.

 

“So you’re just that unaware of your surroundings, huh? You didn’t even _see me?_ ”

 

“Maybe it’s because you’re so small.“ Two-tone muttered under his breath. Suddenly all eyes were on him. Levi’s were especially angry.

 

“You want to say that any louder?” Levi asked him, eyes narrowing dangerously. Two-tone shook his head.

 

“No, no, I didn’t—“

 

“ _Are you sure?_ ”

 

“Sorry, sorry, please don’t kill me!”

 

Levi was tempted to step forward and scare the boy even further. It was funny, really, the way he was shaking in fear. Levi was proud of his ability to strike fear into people’s hearts, even if they were much bigger than him.

 

Of course he was used to the insults about his height, and while it still really bothered him, it never usually angered him as much as he let on.

 

A series of giggles disrupted Levi’s thoughts.

 

Eren was laughing hard. He was bent down, clutching his stomach. “Oh wow, Jean, you really did it now!”

 

Levi agreed. He bit the inside of his cheek, resisting a smile.

 

Two-tone, or Jean apparently, was quiet.

 

“Sorry, Levi,” Eren muttered, finally calming down. “We didn’t mean to bother you. Whenever we fight it always gets out of hand.”

 

“Good that you know, Eren!” someone yelled from their audience. Levi wished that they weren’t there.

 

“But for a moment there, I thought we would die,” Eren giggled again. Levi didn’t think he was serious, so he raised a brow, eyes softening.

 

“If you stepped on me, then you just might have.”

 

“I’m going to ignore what you just said.”

 

Levi stared at him blankly.

 

“So you really were just taking a nap?” Eren asked after a short silence, eyes narrowing.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Oh, okay,” Eren then smiled. “That’s good.”

 

“Is something wrong? Spit it out.”

 

Eren blushed. What was up with that?

 

“Uh, I don’t know, for a second I thought you were stalking me.”

 

There was a pause. Levi’s face was blank, but his eyes were slightly wide. Eren just looked embarrassed, refusing to meet his eyes.

 

“You thought I was stalking you.” Levi said flatly. _Great job on not acting like a creep, Levi_.

 

“It was just for a second, right when you grabbed Jean’s arm. I mean, you pop out of nowhere! First at the gym and then here... It’s like you’re a ninja.”

 

“A ninja.”

 

Eren’s eyes were wide and earnest. Levi inhaled sharply. He couldn’t think with Eren staring at him like that. He didn’t seem offended or angry, but he was entirely focused on Levi and that... and that paralyzed him. Levi couldn’t look away.

 

“Although you’re in the judo club, right?” Eren continued. “So maybe you’re halfway there.”

 

“Um.” Levi said flatly. He was a great conversationalist when it came to Eren.

 

“Thanks for scaring Jean, though. He’s hiding behind Marco now.” Eren snickered, looking away from Levi. Levi followed his gaze and saw Jean pressed up against a familiar dark-haired boy with freckles.

 

The boy with freckles met Eren’s eyes and gave a small shrug.

 

Jean muttered something about treason and flipped Eren off. The brunette just laughed.

 

“Anyway, that was fun but I got to go. Mikasa’s gonna kill me if I’m late again.” Eren said, turning back to Levi. He grinned. “Bye, guys!”

 

A chorus of “bye, Eren,” was promptly heard.

 

Levi, with his face blank, watched Eren run off the football field. After a second more, he turned to the group of what he presumed were sophomores sitting on the grass.

 

Jean was still looking at him warily, probably wondering why he hadn’t left. The freckled boy whom he guessed was Marco gave a friendly but slightly nervous smile as soon as they locked eyes. Beside him was a familiar blonde coconut-head that Levi vaguely remembered as Armin. There were two others, but Armin was staring at Levi with such intensity, despite his shy body language, that it caught the senior’s attention.

 

“What?” he asked sharply, staring at Armin. The blond very subtly flinched.

 

“Are you going to chase him again?” he asked instead. Surprisingly, his voice didn’t shake. Levi was surprised with his straightforwardness.

 

“Why would I do that?”

 

Armin gave a small smile. He gave Levi A Look, which promptly reminded the senior of Erwin. This blonde kid looked scarily perceptive.

 

“You should take things slow,” Armin said.

 

Levi snorted.

 

“You’re going to give me advice?” He asked, raising a brow, trying to challenge the sophomore. Armin only shrugged.

 

“Only if I’m sure you won’t hurt him.” He said seriously.

 

Levi’s eye twitched. Of course he wasn’t going to hurt Eren. That was the last thing he wanted. He wasn’t going to—

 

Armin was still staring at him intently, as if trying to determine his answer. Levi hated that pair of probing deep blue eyes. He furrowed his brows and glared.

 

After several seconds of ominous silence, Levi promptly turned away and left. He picked up his things and walked off the field without taking another glance at Eren’s friends.

 

He refused to be psychoanalyzed by a sixteen-year-old Erwin clone. With a bad haircut. And normal eyebrows.

 

Maybe that blonde kid could help him with making Eren fall for him. Or maybe he would make things harder if he thought Levi wasn’t suitable for Eren.

 

Levi gritted his teeth.

 

All of this made his head hurt.


	4. did we just have a moment?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this fic is trash. i am trash. do you remember last chapter's note on pacing? yes, i believe that applied to all further chapters, including this one.
> 
> at this point the mood changes bc idk, i want more of levi pining and cute ereri interactions. i have given into my inner desires. i hope you guys enjoy it. i really do appreciate your steady stream of comments and kudos <3

Levi watched all the people below walk around like little ants. He scanned the grounds with disinterest, eyes moving but the view barely registering in his mind.

He sat on the edge of the school rooftop with his legs dangling in the air. A breeze hit his face and he closed his eyes, relishing the cool wind. He pressed his palms flat against the concrete ground, comforted by the solid presence beneath his hands.

The senior exhaled softly. It was cool and quiet up here. It was lunchtime and he was all alone, which meant that neither Hanji nor Erwin could distract him.

It was horrible.

There were so many other things to think about, yet his thoughts continued to wander back to a certain green-eyed sophomore. He could count to a hundred, or clean his room until it sparkled like a unicorn, or focus entirely on judo practice, or try to figure out what the hell his calculus homework was supposed to be about, but as soon as he finished and could rest in peace... he’d remember Eren.

Sometimes it pissed him off, because really, why was Levi trying so hard? Sometimes it made him embarrassed, because Eren was shockingly good at one-upping him, which had never happened before. Sometimes it made him giddy, thinking about their next encounter and hoping for a fond smile in his direction or spending some _enjoyable_ time together.

It wasn’t that he hated their interactions, of course; it was just that he was tired of always being left in the dust. He was tired of Eren rejecting him.

More than anything, Levi wanted to make some progress in the right direction. Maybe that way he could finally get Eren out of his system and move on with his life. You know, spend less time thinking about the stupid human embodiment of an angry teenage Bambi.

What did he even think about so much before Eren? Levi didn’t remember, and it just disgruntled him further.

So yes, he was brooding on the school rooftop all alone during his lunch break. Erwin knew this, and even though he didn’t say anything, he gave Levi an amused Look, which made the dark-haired senior decide to ignore him for the rest of the day.

Hanji just thought he was adorable and felt bad for him.

_I don’t have any more dignity left because of that stupid brat, Levi told himself sourly._

It wasn’t Eren’s fault, of course, but blaming him made Levi feel better. Just a tiny bit.

He sighed again, leaning backwards as another gust of wind hit his face. Levi scooted backwards and folded a leg closer to his body, so that only half of one leg was still dangling in free air.

Maybe he could skip next period...

The rooftop door slammed open, and Levi nearly jumped. He quickly pulled himself backwards until his entire body was splayed on concrete ground.

_What the hell—_

Levi turned his head to find a very angry Eren Jaeger stomp out of the doorway. The door slammed shut behind him, but the sophomore barely even noticed. His fists were clenched tight at his sides, and his eyebrows were furrowed together so closely that they looked like they could stick that way.

Eren gritted his teeth and turned around until his back was to Levi. He kicked a dusty crate that lay forgotten somewhere on the ground. Dust flew into the air, and he let out an angry growl.

“If only I could beat the living shit out of them, those fucking bastards!” Eren muttered to himself. Levi couldn’t hear the rest, but he was still fuming.

Eren, Levi noticed, was trembling. The younger boy raised his arms and covered his face with his hands. He spun around and let out another anguished groan, although this one seemed more pained.

Levi’s brows unconsciously knitted together in concern.

The sophomore’s hands dropped to his sides. He gave the old crate another kick. More dust flew into the air, and he began coughing.

This only irritated him further, but this time Eren walked away and slammed the side of his fist into the rooftop door. He didn’t react at all despite the sharp banging noise, and Levi was half-concerned and half-shocked. The door was made of metal. What was this kid made of?

Eren was still shaking and his face was definitely still angry, but he looked like he had calmed somewhat. Something indescribable flashed across his face, and Levi had the sudden urge to comfort him.

The senior quickly shook his head. That wouldn’t do any good.

Eren’s jaw clenched. He was breathing heavily, but he was no longer hitting things. He looked up and took in a deep breath.

And quickly spotted Levi sitting near the edge of the rooftop.

Their eyes locked, and after a beat of realization, both of their faces contorted into horrified expressions. Levi’s was more subtle, of course, but he knew that he shouldn’t have seen whatever it was he had seen.

Eren stumbled backwards. A number of expressions flashed across his face—-first sheer surprise, and then horror, and then anger, before he blushed harder than Levi thought was physically possible and screeched.

“L-Levi? Wh-What? I didn’t-didn’t know you were... here.” He spluttered in embarrassment.

Levi gave a half-hearted shrug. He crossed his legs and looked up at Eren with his usual blank expression.

“Hm, I could tell.” Levi replied.

Eren’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

 _Wrong thing to say, you idiot,_ thought Levi.

“I came here because I wanted to be alone,” Eren said quietly. “I should... I should leave.”

He turned around, but Levi quickly stood and spoke up.

“Wait! Wait, Eren!” he paused. Eren stopped walking but kept his back to the senior. “I won’t... I won’t bother you. I came here for the quiet too. We don’t need to talk.”

Eren tilted his head to the side, as if considering it. Levi swallowed a lump in his throat. At least if Eren was here then he could watch over him and make sure he didn’t hurt himself or anyone else.

Right?

Eren faced Levi but refused to meet his eyes. He slumped over, looking almost defeated and shy.

“Okay. I think I can share this space.” He muttered.

Levi nodded.

“Just, please don’t bring this up,” Eren said. He finally looked into Levi’s eyes. He was pleading, and Levi could only stare back and nod. “Nobody should have seen that.”

“I won’t ask.” Levi replied.

Eren nodded and looked away. He scanned the rest of the rooftop before settling down on the farthest edge, opposite of where Levi sat. He didn’t sit close enough to dangle his legs off the edge. Instead, he crossed his legs and leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. His back was completely towards Levi.

The senior continued to stare at him, but true to his promise, he was silent. It wasn’t difficult for him to shut up, of course, unless someone really pissed him off. When he opened his mouth, most of the time it led to unwanted circumstances.

Levi hugged his knees to his chest and continued to watch Eren’s back. Another gust of wind blew in, ruffling their clothes and hair. The atmosphere was still heavy.

Still, Levi would have to bear with it. He set his chin on top of his knees and stared off into the distance.

 

 

 

 

“If I get into another fight I’ll be suspended.” Eren spoke up suddenly. He still hadn’t moved, but Levi’s eyes were back on him. He listened quietly. “The ones with Jean don’t count because we’re not as bad as we used to be.”

“But sometimes these assholes just do something so horrible that I can’t hold back, and it pisses me off so much that I can’t do anything about it. That if I fight back or lash out then I’ll be in trouble. I don’t think I’ll mind getting suspended if it means giving those dicks a piece of my mind, but I might get kicked off the team and my mom and my dad and Mikasa will be so disappointed in me and—and they already think—“ Eren paused, as if to gather his thoughts. He lifted his head and dropped his arms onto his lap. He slouched forward. “And everyone just thinks I’m an immature brat.”

Was Levi supposed to offer words of wisdom? He wanted to say something to comfort Eren, make the younger boy look at him, or maybe not look at him—he just wished that Eren didn’t sound so sad anymore.

But Levi wasn’t good with words.

“You know how to fight back, which is really important,” Levi said. “But we live with manipulative bastards and idiots, so survival is also largely the act of learning to hold back.”

_What the hell are you saying, Levi?_

_**Didn’t that Armin kid say you needed to learn how to hold back too?** _

Eren had turned his body towards Levi. His eyes were wide, as if he was surprised that Levi was even trying to give advice, but he was listening. Levi met his gaze. Honestly, he was surprised with himself too.

“You’re sixteen, Eren,” Levi continued. His voice grew softer. “It’s okay to get angry about things that are out of your control. It wouldn’t be normal for you not to. And I’m sure your parents or your friends aren’t disappointed in you. For every mistake you’ve made, chances are you’ve done at least three other good things. People just tend to notice the bad more than the good.”

_What are you doing? What are you saying?_

“Just don’t kill anyone and it’ll be fine. You’re too stubborn and pretty for prison.” Levi concluded.

Eren continued to stare at him with his eyes wide. Levi couldn’t tell if he was confused or concerned or freaked out. A few seconds of silence passed between them, and they could only stare at each other. If Levi hadn’t already perfected his poker face, then he might have just looked away.

“Ha,” Eren’s shoulders began to shake. He looked down and began to laugh softly. It was an endearing sight that made Levi’s throat dry, but it was also nerve-wracking. Was Eren laughing at him?

“You sounded really mature there, Levi,” Eren said in between giggles. He was fully facing Levi now, and despite the several feet in between them, his expression was clear as ever. Eren’s eyes and wide grin were so bright that Levi wished he had a brightness setting.

Here he was: Levi Ackerman, giving Eren Jaeger advice when Levi didn’t even have his shit together. He was being a complete hypocrite, but if it made Eren smile, then he would do it again.

Even if he had no idea what he was saying.

“It was good advice until the last part,” Eren said.

“Well, I wasn’t _wrong_ ,” Levi defended, just to humor the sophomore.

“I know I told you not to bring it up, but I felt like I had to explain myself to you.” Eren added. His expression grew serious. “I just-I didn’t know what you thought of me.”

Levi tilted his head to the side, but Eren continued staring into his eyes. His expression was solemn.

“What I think about you hasn’t changed, Eren,” Levi replied. “How I feel about you hasn’t changed. In fact, I think you just got more interesting.”

Okay, he couldn’t resist throwing that in. He smirked, unable to control himself.

Eren’s nose scrunched up and a blush began to color his cheeks. He huffed.

“I didn’t open myself up to you to make myself look more _attractive_ —“ Eren spit out.

“I didn’t say that.” Levi replied calmly.

“You’re not laughing at me on the inside, are you? C’mon, just admit it already!”

“No, Eren, I’m not laughing at you.” Levi said steadily.

Eren stared at him intently again. His brows were still furrowed, but compared to when he had first stomped through the door, he looked much calmer. Levi only stared back at him. He was so adorable like that, with his large earnest eyes and his red cheeks. Even his pout was especially cute today.

Then again, when wasn’t Eren cute?

And after learning more about him too...

“Do you think I’m an immature brat?” Eren asked. He was obviously struggling to level his voice. “Like, emotionally? Mentally, even?”

Well, Eren definitely knew what Levi thought of his body.

“I think you’re a brat,” Levi confessed. “But I don’t think of it as a bad thing.”

Eren looked away and scratched his nose.

Levi bit the inside of his cheek, resisting another small smile.

They were quiet again.

“Thanks,” Eren said after a long silence. “That made me feel better.”

“You’re welcome,” Levi replied quietly.

“It’s nice to know that you’re not a complete ass.” He added.

Levi raised a displeased brow. Eren could only snort.

“It’s like trading secrets. You keep mine and I keep yours.” The sophomore said, looking straight at Levi. He was beaming again. Levi raised both brows this time in confusion.

“Secrets?”

“That you actually have a heart.”

“What are you talking about, Eren?”

Eren snickered. “Exactly.”

Levi exhaled slowly. He took another good look at Eren. The sophomore was still radiating brightness and beckoning him to come closer but... he was also calmer. The tenseness in his shoulders had gone. He was no longer shaking. His hands lay curled up in his lap. Levi wanted to feel them so badly.

“I’m sure anyone else would have said the same,” Levi said. He didn’t know why he was saying it. Maybe he felt bad. He didn’t want to disappoint Eren and fool him into thinking that he could be kind all the time. He couldn’t—he wasn’t an _angel_. “You’re really wonderful, Eren. It’s difficult not to see it.”

Eren only shook his head.

“Only you would say something like that. I mean, someone else could have given me the same advice but... only you would say something like that.” Eren replied. “I think it’s a lot, coming from you.”

It could have happened to anyone else, if it had to happen at all. The fact that it happened to Levi was the important part, right? He couldn’t fuck it up now. He couldn’t make Eren feel any worse. He couldn’t make Eren want to shrink away from him further. If he did, then Levi would only be able to hate himself.

Levi swallowed another lump in his throat. He couldn’t think of anything to say, so he didn’t speak. Not at all. Eren didn’t seem to mind.

The bell rang. The sound was sharp as it cut through their little bubble of comfortable silence. Eren huffed as he stood up and dusted himself off.

“Ah, hell, I’m gonna be late to class again!” He exclaimed before running towards the door. “Bye, Levi!”

Within two seconds, Eren was out of the rooftop. The metal door slammed shut behind him, leaving Levi all alone.

“Bye, Eren,” he mumbled.

And then sighed.

His next class was English. Maybe he could skip that. All he wanted to do was lie down on the ground, even if it was filthy.

Levi’s heart wouldn’t stop hammering in his chest.


	5. 'cause you're hot and i'm cold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i don't know anything about soccer practice, so i apologize if what little i've written of it is inaccurate. also, do u guys love levi's inner turmoil? bc i sure do.

“And that’s why I was late to English,” Levi concluded. He sat in a chair with his arms crossed over his chest. He leaned back and tilted the chair dangerously backwards. Erwin sat across him, shuffling around papers and other official documents that made Levi wonder if he was the student council president or an actual school employee.

 

They were the only ones left in the room. It was late, and Levi had decided to accompany Erwin. The blonde didn’t need it, but Levi figured that he would have been bored half to death without him anyway. He didn’t know how Erwin did it.

 

And, well, he had to update him on Eren.

 

“So I’m sure it means that he doesn’t hate me, right?” Levi asked again, staring up at the ceiling.

 

“As of right now, no, he doesn’t,” Erwin replied, looking up. He started sorting more papers into different folders.

 

“Can’t you get any underclassmen to do that for you?” Levi asked, motioning to the desk full of paperwork. Erwin gave a small smile and shook his head.

 

“You know I can’t do that, Levi. This is part of my job.”

 

“What would this school be without you?”

 

“A circus, probably.”

 

Levi finally looked at him. Erwin pushed the completed files away and stared back with mirth in his eyes.

 

“Eh, you’re right,” Levi muttered.

 

“Now, about your problem with Eren... it’s really bothering you, isn’t it?” Erwin said, leaning forward. Levi looked up at the ceiling again and resumed rocking his chair.

 

“What did you mean by he doesn’t hate me _yet?”_

_“_ I mean exactly what you’re thinking.”

 

Levi sighed. “I don’t want to screw this up even further. Today I took a step forward, but I feel like I’ll end up taking a step back the next time I see him. I don’t know why I keep offending him, but I somehow do.”

 

“You’re coming on too strong. If you move as fast as you usually do then you’ll lose all your chances.”

 

“Moving fast usually works.”

 

“Not with Eren.”

 

“No, Eren’s different in a lot of ways...” Levi paused, narrowing his eyes as he scrutinized a damp spot on the ceiling.

 

“You have to treat him gently. This isn’t like starting from scratch. You have to remember that you rejected him a year ago.”

 

“Hm? I’m sure he’s gotten over it. In fact, right now I _am_ starting from scratch. I don’t think I appeal to him at all.”

 

“Levi.”

 

Erwin’s tone was flat, but it caught Levi’s attention. He looked at his friend and caught his eye. It was another serious calculating look.

 

Levi’s jaw clenched.

 

“Shit, you’re right, it’s not like he would admit it if he was hurt at all, anyway. He could still secretly resent me...” Levi’s voice trailed off slowly. His voice ended on a sad note, and he flinched once he realized how pathetic he sounded.

 

“I don’t think he resents you.” Erwin continued. “If Eren Jaeger really hated you, then he wouldn’t bother talking to you at all. He could even try to fight you, but I’m sure even he knows how stupid that would be.” The blonde’s mouth curved up into a half-smile. “He only gets heated up when you insult him or bring up the fact that you like him, yes?”

 

Levi nodded.

 

“You have to befriend him, Levi. But don’t befriend him for the sole reason of getting into his pants, either. Get to know him first and decide if you really like who he is. And then decide if you want to pursue him. He’s angry because you dismissed him so coldly a year ago and then now... you’ve completely turned to him. It’s quite understandable.”

 

“...You always know how people think, huh?”

 

“Did you ever doubt me? It’s the right thing to say. Even Hanji would agree, and she’s much more sympathetic about these kinds of things.”

 

“Hm.” He uncrossed his arms and set the chair down on all of its legs with a bang. “That makes sense.”

 

Erwin and Levi both knew the truth—that Levi _did_ know it, but perhaps refused to acknowledge it. Levi was grateful that the blonde didn’t mention it, though he was still disgruntled by the fact that he knew it anyway. It was a small comfort, but he wasn’t ungrateful.

 

So he had to win Eren over all over again. And this time, he had to be gentle and kind and heartwarming. He didn’t know _how_ to be those things (though his friends would disagree; Hanji would say that he knew kindness and softness and _“love~”,_ it was just that he was really bad at expressing it because he was emotionally repressed or _whatever_ ), but he had to try.

 

Really, if it weren’t for his friends, he wasn’t sure how we would have figured any of this out.

 

“Do you think he’ll get creeped out if I watch him during soccer practice?” Levi spoke up.

 

Erwin shrugged.

 

“Not if you do it correctly, I think,” he replied. Levi snorted.

 

And then, in a flat but still sincere tone, he said, “Thanks, Erwin.”

 

“You’re welcome, Levi. Now don’t screw it up.”

 

Levi wanted to throw the stapler at Erwin’s head, but he just chuckled instead.

 

This was ridiculous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a rare day that Levi was extremely grateful for, because for once he didn’t have anything to do after class and the soccer team was still practicing their ~~beautiful~~ asses off.

 

This meant that he could watch.

 

And enjoy the show. Ehem.

 

Levi didn’t really care for most sports. He never watched any games or knew any teams. He knew the basic rules of soccer, but he had no interest in it. His interest was strictly on one player.

 

Half of the team had paused for a short break, and Eren lifted his shirt to wipe some sweat off his forehead. It was _gross_ , but Levi realized belatedly that his mouth was open.

 

_How does a sixteen-year-old have abs? That’s not fair._

 

**_You have abs too, Levi._ **

****

_But can I seduce him with them? Hm, let’s save that idea for later. If I don’t tell Erwin, then maybe he won’t laugh at me._

 

Eren pulled his shirt back down, but Levi swore that he was still sparkling.

 

_Probably from sweat. Which is super gross. But also hot._

 

**_How has no one noticed you staring yet?_ **

****

Levi swallowed and looked away, trying to regain his composure. He crossed an ankle over his knee and leaned back against the bleachers. Maybe if his face was farther away, Eren wouldn’t see him staring.

 

After slowly counting to one hundred and twenty (exactly two minutes, so he would look more... bored with his current situation), Levi turned his head back to the field.

 

Eren was busy kicking a row of balls towards the net. One of them flew dangerously off course, and he visibly flinched. But after his eyes narrowed and his hands clenched tighter, his body only further tensed up in determination to get the next ones where he wanted them to go.

 

He looked up for a second, and lo and fucking behold, met Levi’s eyes.

 

_Instant déjà vu alert. Retreat, Levi. Retreat—_

Eren’s face went red and he looked back down so Levi could no longer see his expression, though his eyebrows seemed troubled. There was an awkward flinch, and the ball he kicked sailed across the field and smacked someone in the face.

 

There was an angry scream.

 

“Fuck you, Jaeger!” was Jean’s familiar howl.

 

“S-Sorry!” Eren exclaimed. He looked horrified, but after seeing that Jean was all right—except that his face was incredibly red and really, he looked so ridiculous because his face seemed a little flatter.... and was that the imprint of the ball’s pattern? How was that even possible? (Levi snickered to himself softly)—he struggled to hold in a laugh.

 

“Focus, Jaeger!” Their coach’s scream cut through the air, and Eren instantly bolted upright and resumed his exercise.

 

Levi sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He watched Eren pointedly _not_ look in Levi’s direction.

 

He should have just left after they finished stretching.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Levi watched Eren gulp down a bottle of water. His gaze followed the movements of Eren’s throat, and the way his arm flexed upwards and... okay, it was empty now.

 

Eren wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, crumpled the bottle and threw it into a nearby trash can, and then quickly made his way towards Levi with a guarded expression on his face.

 

_Fuck. Abort mission. Abort mission._

**_Wait, don’t you want this?_ **

****

_I didn’t actually plan for anything, shit—_

“So, Levi, what brings you here?” Eren asked. His face suddenly broke into a polite smile, and Levi’s heart began to beat faster. He was so nervous, and it irritated him. Stupid sophomores with bright eyes and anger management issues and toned muscles shouldn’t make _Levi Ackerman_ nervous.

 

“I wanted to see if you were as good as they said you were,” Levi said simply. He tilted his head to the side, trying to mask his fear. He was good at that. He really was.

 

“It would be easier to judge that in the next match. I might actually get to play, you know?”

 

“I don’t doubt that you will. You don’t seem too bad.” Levi paused, and then smirked. “Except for that mishap with Jean.”

 

Eren’s face instantly went red.

 

“That was your fault!”

 

“Oh? But I was just innocently watching. I didn’t do anything.”

 

“I didn’t-I didn’t expect you to be here. _Why are you even here?”_

“You already asked that question.”

 

Eren’s lips pursed into a thin line, but he seemed more embarrassed than angry. Levi counted that as a point. And then another point, because he was pouting again and wasn’t that cute?

 

“So you’re obviously not stalking me, because you are horrible at being subtle.”

 

Levi’s eye twitched. Well, Eren wasn’t _wrong._

 

“Haven’t we already established that I am not a stalker? And besides, it’s not like I’m not allowed to watch you during practice, right?”

 

“If you keep distracting me then I might ask coach to kick you off the field whenever he sees you.”

 

“Like he’d kick _me_ off the field.” Levi replied. He met Eren’s eyes and held the boy’s gaze. Eren looked so serious. He kind of wanted to poke him in the cheek and see how he would react. “But apparently I’m _distracting_ you?” He said, voice teasing.

 

Eren gave a short whine.

 

“I didn’t expect to see you there at all!” He replied. And then, in a lower voice. “I looked up and all of a sudden you were glaring right at me...”

 

Glaring. So that’s what Levi staring unashamedly at Eren looked like. At least from the sophomore’s perspective. Levi wasn’t sure if he was grateful or wanted to punch himself in the face.

 

“So you came up to me because you wanted to know if I was pissed off at you?” Levi asked. There was a beat, and then he wanted to laugh. Usually people knew when Levi was pissed off at them. There was no need for that question.

 

Here was Eren, breaking more boundaries than he thought was imaginable. Erwin’s words of wisdom slowly flicked through his mind, and he realized that he liked this. He liked teasing Eren like they were close. It felt so easy.

 

Levi wanted to talk to Eren, and he never wanted to talk to anyone.

 

“Yeah, I was curious what you wanted this time,” Eren replied bluntly. He was smiling, though, and that put Levi at ease.

 

“Not much,” Levi replied.

 

Eren narrowed his eyes, as if to say, _I’m only letting you off this time..._

 

And did his nose just scrunch up too? Eren was way too cute and this was not fair.

 

“Um, are you all right, Levi?” Eren asked, eyes widening in concern. “You look a bit... lost...”

 

“Lost in your eyes,” Levi mumbled.

 

“What?”

 

_Oh what the everloving shit did you do now, Levi..._

**_Act cool. Ignore that it ever happened._ **

 

“Hm?”

 

Eren was blushing again. He looked a bit betrayed, and yeah, Levi could admit that that came out of nowhere. But he accidentally said it and couldn’t take it back anymore. So, there.

 

The sophomore wasn’t going to get mad over a compliment, was he?

 

“Don’t say such weird things, Levi,” Eren muttered in a low voice. He didn’t seem offended, though. Not this time.

 

“I didn’t say anything weird.”

 

“Please don’t say things like that. It was weird and you know it.”

 

Levi paused, but one more glimpse at Eren’s perfect puppy dog face made his throat dry. He glanced away and focused his gaze on a tree in the distance. It was a very short and ugly tree with falling branches. Perfect.

 

“Don’t you have to go shower or something?” Levi asked. He snuck a glance back at Eren and was relieved to see his usual demeanour back.

 

“Oh, well, I got sidetracked...”

 

_Don’t think about Eren in the shower, Levi. Just don’t. Now is not the time—_

“And don’t wipe your face with your sweaty shirt next time. It’s unhygienic.” Levi continued.

 

Eren’s brows furrowed together.

 

“O-Okay...”

 

Levi looked at him, and then tilted his head to the side.

 

“Hm.” He made a small noise, and judging by Eren’s reaction, the younger boy had no idea what it meant.

 

“What?”

 

“I expected you to defend yourself.”

 

“So you’re provoking me on purpose?!”

 

“Calm down,” Levi sighed. “You’re so fucking energetic. No, I just... It’s a legitimate concern of mine.”

 

Wow, Levi, you sound ridiculously pretentious.

 

Eren only looked confused.

 

“I... Thanks for your concern.” He actually sounded sincere, which Levi didn’t expect because he knew how ridiculous other people thought he was and... And it lifted his spirits a bit.

 

Eren was always earnest, always kind. Why was this moody senior so selfishly chasing him and trying to claim him for his own?

 

A little insecurity wouldn’t deter him from his goals, however.

 

_Denial is your best friend in this case._

**_Denial is never good, Levi._ **

****

_Great. The voice in my head is starting to sound like Erwin._

 

“Good,” Levi said with a single nod. He almost cringed at how awkward he sounded.

 

Eren nodded back, looking so adorably clueless.

 

It was then that Levi noticed that they were the only two people left in the field. He suddenly felt ridiculously self-conscious. After taking a moment to wear his usual poker face, Levi turned back to Eren.

 

“I gotta go. See you around, Eren.” He gracefully stood up and stepped over some chairs, trying to leave the bleachers.

 

Well, nobody ever said he was good with exits. And if he spent one more awkward moment with Eren, Levi felt like he would explode. He had reached his quota of expressing his bad social skills for the day. He didn’t want to part from Eren, but he was so scared of fucking up again—

 

Once Levi was on level ground, he turned around and saw the sophomore still staring at him.

 

“So is this a one-time thing or will you be coming over tomorrow too?” Eren asked. Levi couldn’t determine what he was thinking, because while his tone was friendly his face was serious.

 

“Can’t,” Levi replied, almost ruefully. “But I’ll see you around.”

 

Eren’s lips quirked up in a smile. He looked calmer.

 

“I know.”

 

Levi quickly turned around, resisting a smile.

 

“Stop standing there and go take a shower, Eren,” he called out. True enough, he practically heard Eren tense up.

 

“Fine, fine, _really, Levi_ ,” the sophomore grumbled as he walked away.

 

Levi bit the inside of his cheek. And then allowed his lips to curve up into a smile.


	6. tell me something i don't know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in which hanji and armin conspire with each other. this is a short lighthearted nonsense chapter huhuhu don't kill me yet. the next one will be longer.
> 
> again, thank you very much for your feedback and kudos! every single comment makes me smile aww

Levi didn’t actually have another chance to gawk at/flirt with/watch Eren at soccer practice again (he _did_ have a life that didn’t revolve around the sophomore too, you know...), but it turned out that that was completely unnecessary because they ran into each other.

 

_This must be fate_ , _Levi._

 

Hanji had _insisted_ that Levi wait for her to finish science club that day. She was insistent about everything, really, but for some reason there was a certain glint in her eye and Levi knew there was a plan in her head.

 

It just so _turned out_ that Levi’s car had conveniently been out of commission for a while, and the bus hadn’t appeared at all even though he’d been waiting an agonizing hour. Apparently all the drivers of that route had been sick with food poisoning after eating in the same place last night (what the hell?), and the company hadn't bothered finding any more replacements. Also, Levi’s house was too far away to walk to. Well, Hanji offered to drive him home (probably knowing all of this, that schemer).... and chances were she was still at school.

 

He could always grab the steering wheel and drive her car himself if she was feeling particularly murderous on the road today...

 

Levi made his way back to the school corridors. From inside of the old classroom that the science club used (what those nerds did in there Levi had no idea, and ever since they were almost disbanded last year due to a freak accident that resulted in a fire no teacher could put out, Levi didn’t want to know) he could hear Hanji yelling at someone named Moblit.

 

He sighed and leaned against a wall, making sure that he stood several feet away from the door. As long as he wasn’t directly in front of it, he figured he’d be safe.

 

With another soft exhale, Levi closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. Honestly, he just wanted to get home...

 

It was getting late and the school corridors were starting to empty. Most of the clubs were either still ongoing or starting to finish up, though, and Levi dug out his phone to check for the time.

 

As he unlocked the screen, he heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

 

And looked up to see Eren Jaeger.

 

...Who was carrying a large duffel bag over his shoulder. He looked like he had just finished practice and ran all the way here.

 

It was then that he noticed Levi standing in the shadows, leaning against the wall. Their gazes met.

 

There was a beat, and recognition flashed in both of their eyes. And then there was surprise, again, and Eren’s eyes were comically wide.

 

_Are we never going to greet each other normally?_ Levi thought, as another feeling of déjà vu passed him. He set his mouth into a thin line and shoved his phone back into his pocket.

 

“Levi? Um, you’re... here?” Eren asked. He seemed a little less panicked but much more confused. He tilted his head to the side and Levi resisted the urge to go up to him and pet his hair. He looked like a damn puppy.

 

“Yeah,” Levi replied quietly.

 

“O-Oh, have you seen a blonde student with a bowl cut run this way?” Eren asked again. His brows furrowed into concern. He was clutching his phone, Levi realized.

 

“No, I haven’t seen anyone at all.” Levi replied.

 

“Is the science club still in there?”

 

Levi nodded.

 

“Armin said it was an emergency...” Eren said to himself, looking down at his shoes.

 

And then something clicked.

 

“Eren.” Levi called out, and Eren looked up at him. “Is Armin in the science club?”

 

“Uh, yeah.” Was Eren’s reply.

 

Armin and Hanji were both in the science club.

 

Hanji had insisted that Levi wait for her outside.

 

Armin had roped Eren into coming to the club room under the guise of an “emergency”.

 

Levi didn’t know how to feel, so he huffed.

 

“Your friend’s probably inside, if you want to check.” Levi mumbled. “But considering all the screaming I heard from Hanji in there, I suggest that you don’t make your existence known.”

 

Eren blinked at him.

 

“Hanji?”

 

“She’s a very shitty friend of mine. Head of the science club. I’m sure she and Armin are buddies, considering how both of them are crazy psycho nerds.”

 

Levi spoke in a mostly flat tone, though at the end his words were biting. He didn’t mean it as an insult, of course, and Eren snorted in laughter.

 

“Oh my god, I had no idea you’d met Armin!” He said, face instantly beaming. Eren laughed nervously. “What did he tell you?”

 

Levi’s eyes briefly flitted over Eren’s bright face and tight shirt before he looked away and shrugged.

 

“Classified information.”

 

“Don’t tell me you two are best friends all of a sudden...”

 

“No need to be jealous, Eren. You can keep the blondie.”

 

“Oooh, he played some mind games on you, didn’t he? I really hope you didn’t bully him, Levi.”

 

“I didn’t bully him.” _More like he mentally bullied me._

“Hm, if you did, I’d know.” Eren’s eyes were shining, but his gaze was sharp. Levi knew protectiveness when he saw it.

 

“Relax, Eren, I’ve got nothing against him.”

 

“Good.”

 

“Are you trying to impersonate your friend? Staring at me like that won’t make it any easier to get into my head, you know.”

 

Eren’s body went rigid and he blushed bright red. He looked away and rubbed the back of his neck, lips pulling down into a pout.

 

_So... cute..._

 

“I... wasn’t staring.” Eren replied weakly. He then furrowed his brows, probably in an attempt to regain... control of the situation or something. “So... are you waiting for your friend too, Levi?”

 

The senior only nodded, locking eyes with Eren.

 

“In that case, maybe I should wait for Armin too. You don’t mind, right?”

 

_No, I don’t mind you waiting with me. In fact, I can think of other things that we can do to keep us busy while waiting._

_And by other things to do, I meant you. Or me. You know, if you’ve got the guts._

**_Stop daydreaming, Levi. Eren just said something._ **

****

_Wait, what?_

Levi promptly snapped out of his daze and looked up to see Eren fidgeting in front of him.

 

“...be a bother.” Eren finished.

 

“Uh.” Levi mumbled lamely.

 

It was probably a good thing that the sophomore hadn’t heard him.

 

Eren took one look at him and Levi had no idea what expression he currently had on his face, but he must have done something right because Eren was beaming at him again.

 

The sophomore sat against the wall opposite Levi and pulled his legs towards his body. He looked up at him with bright eyes. Levi could feel his pulse racing again.

 

_How can he look so perfect just sitting there? With that stupid smile even though you haven’t said anything intelligent ever since, like, the two of you met?_

Levi cleared his throat. It sounded too rough, as if he was choking for air.

 

So he ignored the awful sound he just made and slid against the wall too. Eren followed his movements with his gaze, that small smile still on his face.

 

Levi sat down until they were level with each other. They just stared at each other, and Eren looked like he was about to say something, but he didn’t.

 

Levi was quiet too, but Eren didn’t seem to mind.

 

Somebody screamed from inside the science club room, and while Eren flinched Levi only chuckled.

 

They both looked at the door, but once no further noise emerged, they looked at each other. And then laughed.

 

Levi’s chuckle was soft and low but looking at Eren giggle like that, all curling up into himself, made Levi’s heart twirl in his chest.

 

And maybe he was laughing not because of what was probably a poor (hopefully not dying) underclassman, but because Eren was laughing too hard and it was so ridiculous, really.

 

Levi hugged his knees to his chest and waited for Eren to stop giggling.

 

 

 

 

 

“Hanji almost burned down the labs twice in our junior year,” Levi began. Eren looked at him from underneath long lashes. He was entirely focused on the senior, and his strong gaze made Levi’s throat dry. “She’s a scientist, but she’s also insane. There was this one time that no teacher could put out the fire, and everyone was freaking the fuck out. It was scary as hell, but also really hilarious.”

 

Levi chuckled at the memory.

 

“Mr. Kitts was screaming his head off, and his eyes were bulging out so wide you’d think they’d fall out. He looked ready to shit his pants.”

 

Eren laughed.

 

“Oh wow, I wish I could’ve seen that!”

 

“We had cleaning duty and detention for a month straight after that. Erwin was probably the reason why nothing worse happened. And of course, he somehow granted the science club more funding this year...”

 

Levi was babbling on about his friends and he didn’t know why. He really didn’t. This never happened to him. The way Eren looked up at him adoringly probably had something-everything-to do with it, though. Levi looked away and ran a hand through his hair, careful enough not to muss it up.

 

“Then there was that time with the chicken...”

 

“The chicken?” Eren asked.

 

When Levi was nervous around Eren, he just _couldn’t shut the fuck up_ , could he?

 

“Hanji managed to keep two chickens in the classroom as pets. One of them laid eggs in Mr. Pixis’ bag, but he just laughed and took them home. The other one shat in Dawk’s lap. Frequently.”

 

“Oh my god,” Eren was laughing hard now.

 

“Even a chicken could mistake his shitty personality for a toilet.”

 

“What did they do to the chickens afterwards?”

 

Levi cocked his head to the side and met Eren’s gaze. He spoke flatly.

 

“They cooked it.”

 

Eren gasped out loud. “That’s awful-“

 

And then saw Levi smirk.

 

“Nah, Hanji had to take them somewhere else. Nobody in the class would confess who brought them in, so they let it go.” Levi explained.

 

“Oh, that’s good...”

 

“People grew fond of them after that... shitstorm with Dawk.”

 

Eren snickered.

 

“So Hanji doesn’t keep them anymore?”

 

“No, I offered to take them off her hands.”

 

Eren’s eyes positively sparkled.

 

“I was craving fried chicken that day.”

 

Eren’s face fell.

 

“So I went to KFC... and learned that Hanji had given them to the local shelter. I didn’t even know the local shelter took chickens, but last I heard they were in a better place now.”

 

Eren pouted.

 

“Don’t say ‘someone’s stomach’,” the sophomore said.

 

Levi chuckled. “No, not someone’s stomach.”

 

Eren’s eyes glowed with mirth and Levi had the sudden urge to bury his face in his hands. Hopefully he wasn’t blushing. Why would he be blushing anyway? He wasn’t a stupid underclassman who couldn’t control his reactions...

 

There was another silence between the two of them, but it was light. Gone was the awkwardness, the tension. Despite Levi’s embarrassing lack of self-control and people skills, everything was okay. It even made him think...

 

Maybe they could do this more often?

 

 

 

 

 

The door slammed open, promptly surprising Eren and Levi. The two of them were still seated across from each other, and they watched the science club members slowly trickle out of their clubroom. Some of the members were surprised to see them sprawled out on the floor, but one look at Levi sent most of them scampering away in the opposite direction.

 

Hanji and Armin appeared last. A nervous-looking junior locked the door behind them as the two began to converse.

 

It was then that they spotted Levi and Eren. Armin saw them and gave a smug smile, which Levi only saw for a split-second because Hanji’s entire posture changed.

 

Levi swallowed.

 

“Leviiii!”

 

In an instant she had run towards them at an incredible speed. The girl launched herself at Levi, but he expertly rolled away and dodged her hug. Hanji landed on the floor with an _oof_ , and instantly began to whine as she picked herself up.

 

“You never let me greet you properly!” she complained.

 

“Tackling people isn’t the proper way of greeting,” Levi grunted.

 

“One day I’ll get you...” She trailed off, before her eyes landed on Eren. She gave a loud squeak, and Eren flinched.

 

_Don’t scare him, Hanji..._

“Hello there, you must be Eren!” Hanji exclaimed. She quickly scooted over to the sophomore and pressed her face close to his face. Levi scowled.

 

“Hi, Hanji,” Eren replied with a polite smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

 

“Awww, you’re cute.” Hanji replied. “Has Levi been bothering you?”

 

Eren laughed loudly.

 

“N-No, we’ve just been... talking...”

 

Hanji made another pleased noise before looking at Levi. He only glared at her, which of course didn’t affect Hanji at all.

 

She stood up and finally moved away from Eren. Levi almost breathed a sigh of relief. Eren didn’t seem freaked out at all. Both of them stood up.

 

“I’m supposed to take Levi home, but if you’d rather do the honors...” Hanji began.

 

Levi elbowed her sharply in the ribs.

 

Eren’s eyes widened, if only for a moment.

 

“Don’t be so sleazy, you little shit,” Levi mumbled. Hanji only grinned.

 

“You two were getting along so well... It would’ve been a shame to break your moment up.”

 

“Too late for that.”

 

“Um, I do have to take Armin home,” Eren spoke up. All eyes were then on him, and the sophomore almost withered under the intense gazes of his two intimidating seniors.

 

“I see.” Levi said after a moment. His eyebrows twitched, but within a moment he had schooled his expression into a familiar poker face.

 

“See ya, Eren,” Levi muttered. He gave a nod in Eren’s direction, and then one in Armin’s. The blonde boy only smiled at him brightly. That was definitely a smug smile...

 

“It was really nice to talk to you, Eren!” Hanji said. She looked like she wanted to throw herself at the sophomore. Eren only grinned back. “I’ll be seeing more of you soon, right? Especially if I bring Levi?”

 

Levi’s lips twitched downwards.

 

“Bye!”

 

Before Hanji could say anything further, Levi grabbed her arm and dragged her away. She waved goodbye to Armin, who was only watching them with amusement.

 

Levi’s nose twitched.

 

He met the blonde kid’s gaze and then gave him a firm nod as thanks. Armin looked like he understood. By this time Hanji had started rambling about something in his ear, and he honestly wasn’t paying attention. Then again, neither was Hanji. She just liked talking.

 

They made their way out of the school building. Levi looked up to see the sun setting. He didn’t realize they spent that long waiting for Hanji to finish.

 

“I think he’s really good for you, Levi,” Hanji said. She smacked him lightly on the shoulder. “I just saw the evidence today.”

 

“Hm, really?” Levi asked, trying to avoid the inevitable conversation.

 

“Levi, you were smiling!”

 

Levi looked away and tried to prevent a blush, but failed. Look at what Eren did to him. It was gross.

 

Hanji laughed from his side again.

 

“It’s about time Eren got that stick out of your ass,” She said. “And replaced it with _his stick_ , if you know what I mean.”

 

Levi kicked her in the shin without a word.

 

Hanji didn’t even look pained.


	7. less working, more flirting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is a bit of a mess, but i needed it to set up the following chapters. around two more chapters of fluff before we get to the drama (that i havent written yet...), so hopefully you guys enjoy <3
> 
> (the lobster thing was a tumblr textpost hahaha although i do remember there being an ereri fic of it?)

Hanji did drive Levi home the entire way (he only feared for her running someone over once), but after recounting what had happened she teased him so much about Eren that he was tempted to knock her unconscious. They made it to his house without incident, however, and Hanji promptly invited herself over and invaded his bedroom.

         

As soon as Hanji entered his room, she leaped onto Levi’s bed and nearly bounced off the mattress.

 

“We should put Erwin on speakerphone!” she suggested.

 

“But _I’m_ going to explain it, because if you do then you’ll exaggerate something—“

 

“Too late! I’ve already texted Erwin about it. He knows, don’t worry.”

 

“What?! When did you even—“

 

“He was in on the plan from the start! And oh, I just texted it to him really quickly while you weren’t looking.”

 

Levi scowled at her without a word. They stared at each other, not breaking eye contact for an entire thirty seconds. Eventually Hanji lost their staring contest by closing her eyes and laughing.

 

“He says he’s very impressed with your self-control, Levi.” Hanji said, giving him a thumbs up. Levi approached his bed and shoved her over with a huff, forcing her to make space for him. He sat down and gathered his legs beneath him.

 

“Soo, what’s your next move?” she asked again, wiggling her eyebrows. Levi shrugged.

 

“Don’t tell me you’re afraid to approach him...”

 

Levi glared at her, and Hanji knew she was right.

 

“Oh, my little Levi, you’re on the right track. Just keep up what you’re doing now and you’ll be fine! Honestly, I can see you two being all cuddly in the near future!” She said.

 

“Get that shit off your glasses, Hanji. I am not _cuddly._ ”

 

“But you like him and you’re freaking out about it! You don’t act so delicately around other people...”

 

“I’m not delicate—“

 

“Ah, but you try anyway.” Hanji then snickered and nudged his arm with her elbow. Levi only glared back weakly. “Don’t you?”

 

He didn’t reply.

 

“Anyway, that kinda stuff is more of Erwin’s thing. Look at what I just discovered today, though! Wait, wait, it’s on my phone... Look at that, Levi! Isn’t it adorable?”

 

“Looks like overgrown dog shit.”

 

“Levi! That’s an endangered species! It injects its victims with a special poison that immobilizes them within an hour—“

 

 

 

 

 

Levi knew that for him and Eren to get anywhere near to... where he wanted them to be, he couldn’t just keep relying on his luck. Sure, their previous meetings were all coincidences or thanks to other people or even Eren instigating them himself, but that was exactly why Levi wanted to make the next move.

 

He was just going to have to believe that he wouldn’t fuck it up this time.

 

Honestly, despite the memories of Eren staring at him fondly buzzing at the back of his mind, causing his chest to constrict, Levi still couldn’t forget the other bad memories. The horrifyingly embarrassing ones that he wanted to paint over. The rejections. The initial awkwardness and the sudden wave of terror when he realized that he had _fallen_ , was _falling hard_ , and had no Eren to catch him.

 

Ah, well, they surely didn’t share secrets or text each other at random times, but that didn’t mean that they weren’t _friends._

 

Oh, yeah, Levi was planning to fix the problem of not having Eren’s number.

 

He just wasn’t sure how.

 

Erwin wasn’t being helpful with “bring it up casually in a regular conversation”. Of course Levi thought of that, he just didn’t know how exactly.

 

Erwin had just smiled at him smugly, that bastard.

 

Levi would never admit it, but he had secretly googled some tips. There was something about needing Eren’s number for practicality, because they shared a class or were going to meet each other or something, which of course wouldn’t work because Eren refused to go out on a date with him. Calling it “hanging out” might not work either, because what the hell could they do, anyway? Levi had no idea.

 

Thanks to google, he had read: amusement park, coffee shop, dog park, feed some ducks, library, ice skating, aquarium, bookstore, attend a class together, beach, hiking, water park, movies, video games, and a shit ton of other things that would probably be _cute_ but nothing that Levi could pull out of his ass spontaneously.

 

There was also something about dragging the object of your affections to watch some lobsters fight in the local supermarket (apparently it had led to marriage?!), but Levi thought that that was the shittiest idea of them all. Even shittier than ballroom dancing.

 

Although Eren would probably look good in that weird suit if he cleaned up a little...

 

 _Less daydreaming, more action_.

 

**_Then why don’t you give me any good ideas, huh?_ **

****

Levi briefly considered camping out in front of Eren’s classroom but changed his mind after remembering the last time that happened. He also briefly considered cornering Armin and asking him for help, but he didn’t want to appear too desperate.

 

Not that Armin didn’t know he was desperate; he just liked having some semblance of dignity, you know?

 

“Fuck this.”

 

This was why Levi found himself volunteering to help the student council hand out flyers. Erwin had approved him with a glint in his eye that Levi pointedly ignored.

 

“Don’t scare off the underclassmen, Levi,” Erwin had told him. “And make sure that you actually distribute the flyers properly.”

 

“I’ll scare them into _joining_ the damn fundraisers, how about that?” Levi had grumbled back.

 

The reason why Levi had volunteered for this more than anything else was because it was time that all the other clubs advertised themselves. Some, like the student council and soccer team, were both raising money as well as recruiting new members. Levi was currently advertising for the judo club, which put him in the sports category. Which put him near Eren’s category.

 

Because, as Erwin had so kindly informed him, the soccer team had been using their underclassmen as lackeys.

 

Levi did occasionally see Eren running around outside of class hours. The sophomore was alternating between handing out flyers, waving flyers, yelling out to people, and running around to get water for his teammates.

 

He had also, very conveniently (and perhaps with Erwin’s help... Levi didn’t know how but he was grateful to the eyebrow gods), been placed in one of the busiest areas of the school. The same area that Levi had claimed for himself (after learning Eren was there, actually).

 

It had only taken a short while for Levi to hand out flyers to underclassmen, because at a first glance he could tell who was serious about it and who was not. Some wannabe martial artists even cowered under his glare.

 

 _Weeding out the weak,_ he told himself.

 

It had only taken a short while, because Eren noticed him very quickly.

 

“Levi! Hey!” Eren had jogged over to Levi during what the senior assumed was the younger boy’s break. He was grinning wide, despite looking exhausted. “I didn’t know you were advertising for the judo club.”

 

Levi shoved a flyer into the hands of a junior that wasn’t paying attention. The girl promptly squeaked, surprised and offended, but skulked away once she realized that Levi wasn’t even looking at her.

 

“Personally,” Levi started. “I’m disappointed by our prospects.”

 

Eren laughed.

 

Levi tried very hard not to smile and stare at him like an idiot. There was a bead of sweat slowly trailing down his collarbone. Gross. Fuck. Stop staring at his chest, Levi.

 

“But the judo club looks really badass, honestly! Especially with you as their representative,” Eren beamed at him.

 

“The don’t-fuck-with-me vibe doesn’t work out when I’m supposed to be encouraging them,” Levi said flatly.

 

Eren looked concerned for a moment. He probably thought Levi was insecure about the fact that no one seriously approached him. Ah, well.

 

Levi didn’t care, honestly.

 

“It’s all right, Levi,” Eren told him. “If they can’t be bothered to get a flyer, then they aren’t really committed to the sport, right?”

 

_Wow, that’s exactly what I thought. Not bad._

“Hm, and the soccer team is enticing people by radiating friendship and joy and hot members?” Levi asked, raising a brow.

 

Eren’s face went red. 

 

Levi’s eyes widened. _Ah fuck, not again—_

 

“We-We do want everyone to have fun...” Eren mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. He cleared his throat and looked Levi in the eye, probably trying to look cocky. He was failing, by the way. “But what’s this about hot members?”

 

He was failing, but he was still attractive.

 

 _Fuck my life,_ thought Levi. _I hate high school._

“You,” Levi almost purred, but stopped himself at the last moment. “And your shirtless teammates running around the field. Not sure what they’re trying to prove.”

 

Eren blinked at him.

 

“Oh, well, Reiner and Thomas lost a bet, so...” He shrugged.

 

“With all that flexing, I was convinced the buff blondie was imitating Thor. But badly.”

 

Eren snorted.

 

“You know, like some bad Norwegian military gay porno—“

 

“Oh my god, Levi,” Eren wheezed.

 

_Ah shit, should’ve kept my mouth shut..._

Levi promptly snapped his jaw shut. Eren was still laughing.

 

“Some girls were circulating photos. Looks like an excellent source of income.”

 

_Oh my god, Levi, what are you even saying?_

Well, for some reason, the senior couldn’t shut himself up. Not with Eren laughing like that.

 

“That’s... That’s kinda scary...” Eren said. His laughter slowly died down, but he was still smiling.

 

Levi snickered.

 

“You didn’t have to see it. It made me consider ordering around an underclassman to get me something to eat.” he said smoothly.

 

“In this heat? Don’t be mean, Levi.”

 

“Isn’t that what your teammates have done to you?”

 

“Well, no one _ordered_ me to get them anything...”

 

“Fine,” Levi rolled his eyes. “I’ll ask them politely.”

 

Eren snickered.

 

“What?” Levi asked sharply. Eren didn’t take offense.

 

“You’ll _‘ask them politely’._ ”

 

“Yeah. ‘Hey, you, sophomore. Yeah, mind getting me some water? I’m melting my ass off. Don’t fall and trip on the way.’”

 

Eren was laughing softly.

 

“That’s the opposite of polite, Levi.”

 

“I was being sarcastic, you little shit. I’ll use please and thank you next time, don’t worry.”

 

“I’ll make sure that you won’t abuse any underclassmen.”

 

“Oh,” Levi looked up at Eren. He raised a brow and stared at the sophomore intently. “You’ll stay long enough for that?”

 

“Just for _their_ sake! Don’t get any wrong ideas.”

 

Eren was staring at him with a calculating smile on his face.

 

Ah fuck, was he flirting?

 

Was this flirting?

 

Don’t jump to conclusions. This wasn’t...

 

Did Levi’s heart just stop?

 

No, it just skipped a beat. He was still alive. And his arms were still full of fucking flyers.

 

It was way too hot in here. That’s why his throat was dry...

 

“You’ll have to be very patient,” Levi said, voice level. He decided to test the waters. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from Eren’s bright green eyes, and he somehow hoped that Eren felt the same about him. “I could strike when you least expect it.”

 

“You’re not going to get past me.”

 

“Cocky brat.”

 

“Cocky senior.”

 

Levi didn’t reply, instead choosing to stare back into Eren’s narrowed green eyes. They were so much more beautiful up close. The sly expression on Eren’s face only excited Levi further. He could feel his heart beating faster. This wasn’t a shy little teenager. Eren was... challenging him.

 

Levi felt like he was finally getting to know a part of Eren he had never seen before, and the thought of that made him unbelievably ecstatic.

 

So Eren wasn’t afraid of him anymore, huh? Something had definitely sparked in Eren’s eyes, and Levi was grateful that they were more or less on equal ground now.

 

Their staring contest still wasn’t broken even as Eren spoke.

 

“I’m not a brat,” he said.

 

“You are,” Levi replied.

 

“That just means you’re an old man.”

 

“Do you realize that I’m only two years older than you?”

 

“That doesn’t change anything, Levi. You’re an old man at heart.”

 

Levi smacked him on the shoulder with a rolled up flyer. Eren broke off his gaze and laughed.

 

“You lost the staring contest. I win.” Levi said.

 

“You distracted me with the flyer. That’s cheating!”

 

“Calling me an old man was another distraction technique, wasn’t it? I didn’t fall for it, and neither should you.”

 

“Leviii,” Eren whined. “You’re not going to win next time.”

 

 _Next time_.

 

Levi blinked, taken aback for a second. Eren was grinning.

 

“Next time, huh?”

 

“Don’t get distracted,” Eren replied, voice teasing. “We still have three days to distribute flyers.”

 

Levi’s heart soared.

 

_I would like to thank the student council and this school for being so obsessed with after school clubs..._

“So you have to step up your game,” Eren continued.

 

“You can’t beat me at a staring contest, Eren. I’m great at them,” Levi replied.

 

“I’m not the best but I’m not _that bad_.”

 

Levi chuckled.

 

A single unobtrusive thought snuck into his head, and he found himself reaching into his pocket for his cellphone without realizing it.

 

_No, don’t be too straightforward._

Levi retracted his hand from his pocket. He changed his mind.

 

“Let’s talk about it then, if you’re so insistent on _not doing our jobs_ ,” Levi began. Although honestly, he was the one insistent on not doing his job. Eren had been working the entire morning, and Levi had only started after lunch. “Give me your phone.”

 

Eren looked at him curiously but handed Levi his phone after a moment or two of consideration.

 

Levi punched in his number and returned the gadget to Eren.

 

“Now you have my number. Spread it around and I’ll chase you around campus until you shit your pants. Got it?”

 

Eren looked at him with wide eyes. He nodded slowly, and a smile spread across his face.

 

“Is this your way of subtly telling me that you’re busy...?”

 

“Well, you told me you were going to make sure I didn’t bully any underclassmen, right?”

 

“...Yeah?”

 

“I’m thirsty.” Levi stated. There was a beat. “Please get me a bottle of water.”

 

“The canteen’s just around the corner, Levi!”

 

“I need to distribute the rest of these stupid flyers. Look, Eren, your hands are empty. You can bitch about the line if you want. I’ll even buy you something, if you’d like.”

 

Eren eyed him suspiciously.

 

“I want an ice cream and a soda.”

 

Levi’s eye twitched. “You’re a walking cavity, aren’t you? Here, go sit on a bench or something... I haven’t seen you on your ass at all today.”

 

Eren laughed as Levi shoved two bills into his hands. He was probably thinking, “Levi has a weird way of showing he cares”.

 

Well, Levi didn’t know. He turned away once he was sure that Eren had sprinted towards the canteen.

 

The senior sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

 

He was not an old man, damn it.

 

He was just a mess.

 

An eighteen-year-old mess nursing a huge crush on a stupid sophomore.

 

His hand hovered over his pocket, right where he kept his phone. Levi spent several minutes waiting for a familiar buzz or ring. You know, just to signal him that everything was all right.

 

 

 

 

 

_Buzz._

 

Levi fished his phone out of his pocket with embarrassing speed. He ended up dropping a few flyers in the process, but swore and ignored them.

 

His phone lit up.

 

_Unknown: water otw, ur highness_

_Levi: How can you even text with your hands full?_

He saved the contact as Eren.

 

_Eren: they arent_

_Levi: What, did you swallow your ice cream whole?_

_Eren: :)_

Eren did arrive a minute or two later, with an ice pop in his mouth, a bottle of water in his left hand and a soda bottle in his right.

 

Levi mentioned something about him looking ridiculous, but Eren just laughed (without choking or spitting anything out, thankfully) and handed him his drink.

 

He might have helped distribute some judo club flyers to the more timid-looking underclassmen.

 

Levi didn’t bother asking if he was finished with his shift, and shouldn’t he be somewhere else?

 

He wanted to keep Eren around longer, just for a little more.


	8. *heart eyes emoji*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mindless fluff. and cats, because i like them. ~~also eren still needs a fucking hug after 68/literally the entire volume~~

The remaining three days to advertise after school clubs went by in a blur. Levi savoured every moment he managed with Eren, but they were too few and far in between for his taste.

 

Sure, they helped each other out with the flyers, keeping up a steady stream of banter all the while, along with taking a break together, but that was only on the next day. By the second day, Eren had been moved to another spot and instead Levi had to face some other student. He was a junior probably.

 

Ah, well, at least he didn’t get into Levi’s personal space.

 

Even Erwin couldn’t manipulate his way into the soccer team’s personal rotations for Levi.

 

The thought would have made the dark-haired senior grumpy on a usual day, because while the tall soccer-playing junior in front of him was easy on the eyes too, he wasn’t Eren.

 

Good thing Levi had Eren’s number, huh?

 

At first it had been random _hey_ ’s and _what’s up_ after school, when Levi was home alone or awake at night with nothing to do. After that it turned into _omg look at this_ and _did you hear about...?_ Eren was just as endearing over the phone, despite his despicable chatspeak. He was getting better, though. Or maybe Levi was just starting to get used to it.

 

(Honestly, Hanji pulled off the same shit too. She just had a different taste in emojis)

 

Now Levi knew that Eren probably had dozens of other people to text—friends and classmates and other sophomores, probably (he wasn’t super popular but he definitely knew a lot of people)—but the fact that he was still so quick to reply sometimes, well, that made Levi’s heart beat a bit faster too.

 

Levi never actually checked his phone as much as this before. What the hell.

 

Sometimes, during class, if either of them were bored enough, they’d find their phones buzzing quietly in their pockets.

 

_Eren: ugh i h8 english_

_Eren: so boring_

_Eren: thats y jeans gonna prank mr o_

_Levi: If you get caught with him, it’s your fault._

_Eren: aww donut worry levi_

_Eren: im watching from the shadows_

_Eren: cant wait 4 the balloon 2 explode in Jean’s horse face_

_Levi: Balloon?_

_Eren: hes gonna pop it when mr o bends over liek he always does_

_Eren: OMG its happening_

_Eren: HAHAHAAH JEAN FAILED_

_Eren: caught b4 he had a chance_

_Eren: oh sht gtg_

_Levi: Eren?_

_Levi: ...Eren?_

Levi sighed.

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes Eren sent him shit and Levi didn’t know whether he wanted to chuck his phone at the wall or bury his head in the ground and never come up again.

 

_Eren: gud morning grumpy._

_Eren sent a photo._

_Eren: he reminded me of u. small cute and ready 2 bite the head off a man_

It was a picture of a very tiny, very fluffy black cat with icy blue eyes. The cat was adorable, Levi could admit that.

 

It was also baring its tiny little fangs.

 

Levi narrowed his eyes.

 

_Levi: Cute._

_Eren: :)_

_Levi: I would’ve preferred babies though._

_Eren: awww levi i didn’t kno u liked kids!_

_Levi: Cats are too bony. Human babies have more meat on them. Easier to chew._

_Eren: ...._

_Eren: :(_

_Eren: :-(_

_Eren: :--(_

_Eren: :---(_

_Eren: :’---(_

_Levi: I was joking._

_Eren: i kno_

_Eren: i was tryin 2 piss u off <3_

Levi just had a reputation to uphold, you know?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes, on a particularly quiet late afternoon, Levi would lie in bed with his phone in his hands.

 

_Levi: Want to hang out after school sometime?_

 

His thumb would hover over the send button. He would always wonder. There was nothing wrong with hanging out as friends, right? He just had to make that clear.

 

But no matter how much he wanted to, he just couldn’t. Eren had never invited him over for anything, except to watch the next soccer game.

 

Hanging out didn’t mean a date. Hanging out could be _friendly._

They’d done it before, hadn’t they? They’d sat together, bitched about life together, exchanged quips and stories. The only difference would be the setting. Honestly.

 

It would be... easy.

 

...Yeah.

 

That night Levi went to bed with his phone unceremoniously chucked into his backpack, message unsent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

_Eren: so i heard u like cats_

_Eren sent a photo._

_Eren: found him behind the bleachers!_

The photo was a selfie of Eren holding up a white cat with orange spots. The cat looked a bit disgruntled at being held up high from the ground, honestly, but Eren was holding it securely and his smile was so bright it made Levi’s chest hurt.

 

Also, the sun was glaring from the upper right corner and there and then Levi decided that Eren was an angel sent down from heaven. Or maybe Levi was in hell, because he couldn’t have him. Ah, well—

 

If Levi saved the photo, nobody would ever have to know.

 

_Levi: You’re crushing it._

_Eren: i put him down already_

_Levi: You aren’t going to take it home, are you?_

_Eren: awww would u want me 2?_

_Eren: we just fed him. He likes us already_

_Levi: Keep doing that and the cat might follow you home._

_Eren: noo i think he prefers sasha_

_Eren: he just sniffed sasha’s dumplings omg_

_Levi: ..._

_Eren: he ate 2 of them n sasha looks ready 2 cry_

_Levi: Good cat._

_Eren: will take care of him 4 u_

_Levi: Don’t use me as an excuse to adopt a cat._

_Eren: connie tried 2 shoo him away but he just hissed_

_Eren: sasha looks v scared_

_Eren: he doesn’t look like u but i wanna name him levi_

_Levi: Don’t you dare._

_Eren: maybe Garfield since hes r orange_

_Eren: or pumpkin_

_Levi: Squash._

_Eren: what?_

_Levi: A squash is also orange._

“What the fuck,” Levi whispered to himself softly. He wasn’t thinking before he hit send. His phone nearly slipped out of his hands.

 

_Eren: thats adorable omg. Im calling him squash._

_Eren: thanks levi!!_

_Levi: I thought you weren’t adopting it._

_Eren: but if i see him around again i’ll know wat 2 do_

_Eren: take a gud look at him so u can feed him if u see him ok?_

_Eren sent a photo._

Levi snorted.

 

The photo was of the cat looking straight at the camera. Up close, Levi noticed that it was a bit fatter than he originally realized. It also looked really smug. There were bits of food in between his paws, and he was half-stepping on a plate of dumplings. A brunette girl was mid-shriek in the background. Levi assumed that was Sasha.

 

_Levi: Good job, cat._

_Eren: i knew u would approve_

_Levi: I do._

Levi ran a hand through his hair, staring intently at the screen of his phone.

 

He couldn’t stop staring at the photos Eren sent him, especially the one that actually contained the sophomore’s bright smile.

 

Eren was attractive even with the front camera, which Levi thought was unfair as fuck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Checking your phone again, Levi? What is it you and Eren talk about anyway, huh?” Hanji asked, wiggling her eyebrows. Levi glared at her from across the table.

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

“But you don’t usually get that many messages. And if you do, you always ignore them. Levi!”

 

“Hanji.” He replied flatly. She stared up at him with wide eyes.

 

“Let me see your phone.” She demanded.

 

“H-Hanji, no!”

 

She reached over the table and wildly grasped at his clothes. Levi made a noise of surprise and smacked at her arms, but she didn’t budge. She slowly tried to feel for his pockets—“Hanji, you fucking perv!”—and as she came dangerously close Levi grabbed her wrists and twisted them together.

 

“Ow, ow!”

 

“Stop harassing me, Hanji. I’m not handing it over.” Levi mumbled, gritting his teeth. Hanji only laughed at him, trying to pull herself away. Unfortunately, she was still stuck in his grip.

 

“I was just kidding, Levi! C’mon, let me go.”

 

“You’ll try to reach for my pocket again.”

 

“ _No, I won’t!”_

 

“That’s what you always do!”

 

Erwin only chuckled softly from his spot beside Hanji. Some other patrons in the cafe they were in were staring at them. Erwin gave the couple next to them an apologetic yet charming smile.

 

“Erwin,” Levi muttered without breaking eye contact from the bespectacled girl in front of him. “Help me out here.”

 

Erwin took a careful sip of his coffee.

 

“Erwin, make Levi let me go!” Hanji exclaimed.

 

Erwin smiled at them as they both looked up at him.

 

“Don’t be too loud, you two. We might get kicked out again.” Erwin replied smoothly. Levi glared at him, but Hanji only whined. He relaxed his grip and she slid back into her seat, but started bouncing a few seconds later.

 

“Last time was Levi’s fault.” Hanji said with a huff.

 

“Last time was the shithead’s fault,” Levi replied. “And I wasn’t the one who stabbed him with a fucking dessert fork.”

 

“I wanted to test if his skin was as tough as it looked!”

 

The buzzing of Levi’s phone interrupted them both. Hanji went silent, although her eyes widened comically. Levi scowled, but quickly reached into his pocket...

 

...And retracted his hand once he caught both of his friends staring intently at him. Hanji had a knowing smile on her face that creeped Levi off to no end.

 

“What?” he asked.

 

“Nothing,” Hanji replied, smile widening further.

 

Levi glared at her. Erwin was also staring at him smugly from behind his cup. Wow, really, Erwin?

 

Hanji and Levi had another staring contest. Levi’s eyes narrowed dangerously while Hanji only grew more and more giddy. She grinned at him.

 

About twenty seconds had passed and Levi’s phone chimed again. He looked down and promptly froze up and swore when he heard Hanji cheer.

 

“Ah, fuck it.”

 

He fished his phone out of his pocket and shot Hanji an embarrassed scowl before looking at the screen.

 

It was from Eren. Of course.

 

Levi cleared his throat and sent a quick reply before shoving his phone back into his pocket. As soon as he looked up he saw Hanji staring at him intently with her chin propped up on her hands.

 

“So, as I was saying before our little lovestruck Levi needed a moment...” She spoke up, voice perky as ever.

 

Oh, god, Eren was going to be the death of him.

 

And they weren’t even anywhere close to being more than friends yet.

 

_I hate everything._

**_You don’t hate Eren. Or Hanji or Erwin._ **

****

_I especially hate Eren._

**_You’re whipped, Levi._ **

****

_Don’t remind me._

Levi resisted the urge to sigh, instead focusing on one of Hanji’s wild theories.

 

This pining really, really wasn’t healthy.


	9. the fully-clothed truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in which eren's feelings in all of this are revealed and shit goes down because levi needs 2 suffer a liiittle bit more.
> 
> **hashtag shameless plug** : if u don't like the downer ending (?) in this chapter, feel free to check out my [fluffy ereri domestic au fanfic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3723508). it will make u happy, i promise (as long as you like my writing style)
> 
> now let's get on with this embarrassment of a fic

Levi couldn’t live in limbo forever.

 

There used to be that tiny hope that knowing Eren would bore him, finally expel the idea of being with him from his head. Instead it had made everything _worse_ , and now Levi didn’t even bother to deny what he felt.

 

He couldn’t help it. The more he saw him, talked to him, thought about him, the more he found himself falling deeper and deeper for bright eyes, an even brighter smile, a ridiculous sense of humor, the fiercest determination Levi had seen, moments of kindness that even the senior didn’t think he deserved...

 

Was that internal rambling monologue enough proof? Levi thought it was.

 

How many weeks had passed since they had been on good terms? It was too few, probably. But where they were now... was that good enough?

 

No, not if Levi thought he could get more.

 

He wanted to kiss Eren, damn it, and curl up with him when no one was looking and put his arm around him when everyone was.

 

It was no longer just about wanting to screw him, which should have scared Levi but honestly didn’t. It really didn’t. Everything had been going smoothly so far, so why wouldn’t he be okay?

 

 

 

 

 

“Hey,” Eren called out to him. Levi looked up from his position on the bleachers. He’d been in the middle of petting the familiar white and orange cat—Squash, his name was Squash, how ridiculous—and as soon as he paused, the feline bristled beneath him.

 

Squash gave a high-pitched meow and nuzzled its head against Levi’s stilled hand. The senior continued rubbing the side of its neck and Squash purred softly, unaware of the inner turmoil inside of Levi’s head.

 

“Oh, you two are getting along! That’s so cute!” Eren exclaimed, instantly trotting over to the two of them. He cooed over the cat and grinned wide, taking a seat next to Levi.

 

Levi didn’t know what to say.

 

He had originally called Eren over for no reason at all after class. He knew that they could sit and talk for hours on the field with ease; they had definitely done that before. And it wasn’t as if they had stopped texting each other. In fact, these days as soon as Levi’s phone rang he’d know who it was. Even Hanji preferred other methods like personally going to his house without a word or dragging him right out of class.

 

The thing was, Levi was so _sick_ of pining. He’d been careful for these past few weeks. It had taught him a lot. It had made him fall in love harder.

 

And it made his chest hurt even more not to know if he could still get a chance. Or, if his attempts at getting to know Eren better meant nothing.

 

Of course if Eren blew up at him again and told Levi he never wanted to see him again... The idea made Levi’s jaw clench with worry. It would hurt, but he would have no choice but to leave the sophomore alone.

 

He’d be fine with friendship, honestly. But if there was the chance to soothe his poor little heart by testing for something more, well, Levi would take it. He wasn’t good with heartbreak and would probably sulk for a long while, but at least he could still talk to Eren, right?

 

Yet instead of saying anything, Levi had been quietly petting the cat. Eren sat beside him, also quiet, with a smile on his face as he alternated between playing with Squash and enjoying the rest of the day. It was a comfortable silence, one that Levi was not unused to, and he very much cherished it.

 

He just didn’t know how to say anything anymore. He didn’t want to pop their little bubble of comfort, but he didn’t want to keep on clinging desperately like a lovestruck teenager—

 

Well, he _was_ a lovestruck teenager.

 

The cat promptly stretched, leaped out of Levi’s lap and onto Eren’s. The sophomore gave a laugh of delight as its tail swatted against his hand.

 

Watching that adorable exchange, Levi couldn’t help but let a small smile slip onto his face.

 

He then reverted back to his usual expression before Eren could notice.

 

“So... How have you... been lately?” Levi asked. He had to at least _try._ Eren grinned at him, unfazed by his awkward tone of voice.

 

“Fine. Schoolwork’s a bitch, but everything else is great!”

 

“You don’t even do your homework.” Levi snickered. Banter was good. Banter was familiar.

 

“Nooo, but I still have to _try_ or else Armin won’t let me copy off his.”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Soccer’s going great, though. You’ll attend the next game, won’t you, Levi? It’s coming up really soon.”

 

“I will. You’ve been practicing really hard. Barely have any time left for me...” Levi trailed off softly, trying to sound dejected. Eren saw through his joke and snorted in laughter.

 

“Oh, I make time. How about you, what’s up? Other than kicking ass at judo?”

 

“Same old life, same old asses to kick. It’s getting kind of boring, you know.”

 

“Awww, don’t have your midlife crisis yet, Levi. You’ll find something.”

 

“Hmm...”

 

Squash gave a small meow and Levi absentmindedly scratched the cat behind its ears.

 

“You make it a bit less boring, though,” Levi muttered under his breath. He looked straight ahead, but even from the corner of his eye he noticed Eren whip his head towards him.

 

“Do I?” Eren replied happily, mouth curving into a smile. Levi swallowed, refusing to meet his eyes. The cat was warm and soft in his lap and it comforted him, somewhat lessened his erratic heartbeat.

 

_Here it goes._

 

If he was honest...

 

“You’re so energetic that looking at you makes me dizzy sometimes.” Levi said, voice low.

 

“You make me sound like I can’t sit still! Well, okay, most of the time I can’t, but... uh...” Even Eren trailed off, perhaps growing embarrassed.

 

“Eren.” Levi said, finally looking at him. He met Eren’s wide, friendly eyes, and the words died right in his throat.

 

Squash curled up into a ball under Levi’s fingers.

 

“Yeah?” Eren asked, head tilting to the side. He looked calm and curious and Levi was so jealous because he didn’t look like his emotions were ripping him apart from the inside.

 

Not that Levi wanted Eren to feel what he was feeling, of course. It was just that he looked so _normal_ (but beautiful, so beautiful) when Levi felt like the world was going to crumble right in front of him.

 

Maybe he was overreacting, but Jesus fuck, he couldn’t breathe.

 

“I want to thank you.” Levi said, voice level.

 

“For what?” Eren asked, brows furrowing in surprise. Levi resisted the urge to scoot closer. The ball of fur in his lap did a good job of preventing it.

 

“For being yourself. For continuing to put up with my shit. Thank you, Eren, for everything. You really don’t know how, fuck, how glad I am that I can talk to you like this, but... ah.” Levi bit his lip and swallowed. Eren’s cheeks flushed faintly.

 

“Now I’m going to have to apologize for what I do next.”

 

Eren’s brows furrowed this time, the questions evident on his face.

 

Levi sighed.

 

“What I’m trying to say is... You’re great, Eren. You really are. You’re kind and beautiful and passionate and every time you do something stupid my heart flips a little bit inside of my chest. I wanted to know you better, get closer to you, and now that I have it’s like... it’s like what I felt before got even stronger.”

 

Levi was babbling but he couldn’t stop himself, not when Eren stared at him, paralyzed.

 

“What I felt about you before is nothing compared to how I feel about you now. I’m—shit, Eren, I really like you. I really, really do. And I want to know how you feel about me. Tell me, Eren, could you ever forgive me for the way I treated you before? Could you ever... want me as something more than a friend?” Levi whispered frantically, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. He stared up at Eren with the hope that his eyes were reflecting his honesty.

 

Eren only looked at him, with his body half-turned towards the senior and his eyes wide.

 

Levi licked his lips and tried not to look away. Had he successfully word vomited his way into Eren’s heart? He sure as hell didn’t know, and even though Eren’s thoughts and emotions were usually obvious from his face a mile away, he still couldn’t tell how the sophomore felt.

 

Ah shit, and Levi had tried so hard to be smooth.

 

Look at how he had failed at that again and again.

 

Eren sniffed.

 

“What would you do if I told you I liked you back? What would you do if I told you I didn’t?” Eren asked, meeting Levi’s gaze. His entire expression was serious.

 

“If you tell me to back off, I will,” Levi replied quietly. “If you tell me that we should just be friends, then I won’t force anything. But if, by some miracle, you do like me then... then I’d really like to have, ah, a relationship with you, if that’s all right.”

 

He was embarrassed by his own request, but still tried to look confident. Maybe putting his heart out like this again, but being more tender and... stereotypical about it... would work?

 

Something flashed across Eren’s face, and his tense shoulders dropped. A flicker of hope was born in Levi’s heart...

 

And was promptly killed when Levi heard Eren’s dismayed voice.

 

Eren spoke softly, but he didn’t look happy.

 

“Levi, I’m...” Eren began. “I’m really glad I got to know you too.”

 

There was no small smile.

 

“It’s really fun to talk to you,” Eren continued. “And I feel like I can be myself around you now. Being with you is... nice. And comforting. It’s like a distraction from all the shit that goes down, because your commentary is great even though your jokes are really weird. But they make me laugh.”

 

_Why is he being so nice?!_

_Is he going to reject me after all?_

“And, honestly, I really like you too. But I’m scared. I don’t want you to throw me away when you get bored of me, because I really feel like you will. I’m scared that I’ll get too attached and you’ll leave me for someone else. I’m not as great as you think I am, you know?” Eren said. He looked pained, and Levi was too stunned to think.

 

“Eren, I won’t. I would never leave you. I l-like you. I would never want to hurt you—“ Levi replied frantically, trying to move closer. The stupid cat in his lap only watched both of them with sleepy eyes.

 

“Levi, please listen to me.” Eren cut him off, eyes narrowing.

 

Levi shut his mouth. He didn’t know what expression he had on his face, but he knew that it was some mixture of shock and pain and disappointment.

 

He didn’t care about hiding it—

 

“I don’t think I can be happy with you if I’m scared that you’ll just dump me one day without warning. I do really like you, Levi, but I’m not sure if you take me seriously.” Eren finished, voice softening into a whisper.

 

“Eren.” Levi said. He spoke louder, trying to convince the boy in front of him that none of that would happen, trying to convince him that Levi wouldn’t ever dream of hurting him. Levi tried to convey his reassurance and desperation through his tone of voice, and he tried not to shake. “Eren, I would never hurt you. I’d beat the shit out of someone who hurt you. I’ve never been... I’ve never been so fucking serious about someone in my life. It honestly horrifies me how much I l-like you and—“

 

How do you fight even when you know you’re losing?

 

“You make me happy. I want to make you happy. I know I’m an asshole but that doesn’t... I wouldn’t be able to live with myself knowing I could _hurt_ you. I promise I’ll never do that.” Levi continued. He didn’t know what he was saying, didn’t know if any of it worked.

 

Judging by Eren’s expression, it... probably didn’t.

 

There was a short silence between the two of them.

 

“Why don’t we think about it for a while, Levi?” Eren suggested. “I want at least three days. Let’s not talk about it at all until then. And, uh, let’s not... text each other either, okay? Um, you should decide if you can really keep that promise or not. Because, Levi, if you don’t and tell me that you do... then I’ll never forgive you. And I’ll never talk to you again.”

 

Eren’s words hit Levi with a finality that was so heavy he could have mistaken it for a punch in the face.

 

The sophomore was still gazing at him intently, eyes blazing behind long lashes.

 

“Okay.” Levi replied, finally finding his voice. It came out too quiet for his taste. He spoke louder. “Okay. Okay.”

 

Eren nodded and tilted his head down, perhaps to hide his face or to look at Levi’s hands.

 

“I hope you understand, Levi.” Eren said.

 

“I do,” Levi replied. He honestly did. Erwin’s voice vaguely rang around his head.

 

_Even if he was hurt by that rejection a year ago, it’s not like he would admit it, anyway. And how can I know what he really feels about this now?_

**_Three days until you find out whether or not he’ll accept you._ **

 

“Good. I think we’ll both be able to think by then.” Eren said quietly. He looked back up and gave a very small, sad smile.

 

It made Levi’s throat dry.

 

“I should go. Um.” Eren said. He stood up with the awkwardness of not wanting to look at the senior beside him. He quietly jogged away without another word.

 

All of it left Levi with a bad taste in his mouth and a very heavy feeling in his hands.

 

He sighed and sat there for a while, stewing in whatever guilt had burst open inside of him.

 

The cat continued to look up at him with strange beady eyes.

 

“I feel like shit.” Levi stated plainly.

 

He snickered, covered his eyes, and buried his face in his hands.

 

His lips fell into a thin line.

 

“This sucks,” he continued, speaking out to no one in particular. Maybe he was talking to himself, or maybe it was the cat. “This is just so...so fucked up.”

 

The cat meowed and carefully slinked away from Levi’s lap.

 

By the time the senior had removed his hands from his face, he looked around to see that the cat had disappeared and he was completely alone.

 

_I should just go home_.

 

Without warning, a sudden burst of _something_ exploded in his chest, and Levi wasn’t sure if he wanted to punch a wall or cry.

 

It turned out that he did neither.

 

But spending the rest of the evening lying facedown in bed, burying himself in pillows, well, that worked too.


	10. f is for friends who do stuff together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> even i got tired of writing levi brooding so we have some hanji-levi-erwin ot3 love instead.
> 
> i was v surprised with the amount of feedback on the last chapter! let me just say that this fic will be moving uphill in terms of fluff, just wait. thank u so so much for ur lovely comments; they inspire me. <3 <3

Eren and Levi’s last frightful encounter had happened on a late Wednesday afternoon, which meant that, unfortunately, Levi had school the next day.

 

After spending the entire evening tossing and turning with his own thoughts, eventually sending half-hearted messages to Hanji and Erwin, and falling asleep sometime past midnight, Levi told himself he was done with moping.

 

It didn’t mean that he wasn’t more sullen than usual, though. Nervousness shot through him as Eren’s words resurfaced in his head.

 

 _“I don’t want you to throw me away when you get bored of me, because I really feel like you will. I’m scared that I’ll get too attached and you’ll leave me for someone else. I’m not as great as you think I am, you know?”_ Eren had told him.

 

_Shit, is that what he thinks of me?_

Levi had spent the entirety of the first two periods staring off into the distance. Whenever a particularly loud noise or a moment of lucidity disrupted his thoughts, he would clench his jaw and lean back against his chair. The teacher would turn their back and write something on the board. Classmates would chatter quietly behind him. Someone in front of him was discreetly trying to text in class.

 

Someone stood up and recited, received a nod of affirmation from the teacher.

 

Levi dozed off.

 

When he finally reached the class he had shared with Erwin, the blonde looked at him with something akin to pity in his gaze. Levi snorted. He must have looked worse than he thought if Erwin was looking at him like that.

 

Or maybe he just sounded really pathetic last night.

 

Erwin took a seat next to him and gave him a friendly squeeze on the shoulder. He could tell that Levi didn’t really want to say anything. Erwin understood, and for that Levi was grateful.

 

They had a test in that period, but it wasn’t a big enough distraction to lighten his mood.

 

 

 

 

 

After school (and a way too intense judo session that left their coach berating Levi for subconsciously being too ruthless with his sparring partner) Erwin and Hanji came over to their brooding best friend’s house.

 

Erwin brought ice cream. Hanji brought more ice cream and some video games. She would end up eating and playing the stuff she brought over, but it was the thought that counted.

 

All three of them were currently sprawled over the living room floor and couch, in front of the TV. Hanji’s eyes were glued to the screen, her and Levi’s characters mercilessly beating each other up in some classic fighting game.

 

As of now, they were currently tied.

 

“Special attack!” Hanji screeched. Her fingers pressed a complex combination of buttons at high-speed, and she cackled as her character produced a flurry of attacks against Levi’s. Every now and then she would hum or make a noise of elation or disagreement, and right now she was happy as ever.

 

Levi only furrowed his brows, managed to block half of the attack, and grumbled something that sounded like _“How the hell did you learn that move—“_

 

Hanji began to speak, but he interrupted her with a “You don’t have to tell me all the cheats, Christ, Hanji...”

 

She only snickered, undeterred. Levi would have to learn better combos next time, she told herself.

 

Erwin smiled on the couch next to Levi, amused as he took another spoonful of Levi’s favourite ice cream. _Jerk_ , thought Levi, without any heat.

 

“What? Eh?! Rematch!” Hanji exclaimed as soon as Levi beat her. He snorted to himself softly.

 

“You want to lose again?”

 

“Just because you figured out how to defend yourself against my special move doesn’t mean you’ll win again! I won last time, remember?”

 

“So you want to break the tie? _I’ll_ break the damn tie.”

 

The sound of the game starting up was promptly heard by all of them.

 

Five rematches, two racing games, an upturned box of cereal (“Whoops! Sorry, Levi!”), a chase around the living room and dining room, and a box of pizza or two (“Hm. This one isn’t so greasy. Not bad.” “I knew you’d like it!” “That’s my slice, Hanji.”) later, Erwin and Hanji _did_ have to leave.

 

And even if they wanted to stay and make sure Levi spent the night sleeping and not hating himself, Levi wanted to force them to leave, just for their own good.

 

“If you ever need anything,” Hanji said, her backpack slung over her shoulder as she hovered through Levi’s entryway. “Just text me! There’s this really interesting study I wanted to read about so I’ll probably be up all night—“

 

“I’ll be fine.” Levi replied, once she began to talk slower. “Enjoy your experiments. And go the fuck to sleep, or else you’ll drop dead tomorrow or some shit.”

 

Hanji had laughed.

 

“Take care of yourself, Levi,” Erwin said smoothly. “There’s some leftover ice cream in the fridge.”

 

Hanji’s eyes widened comically. Okay, Levi’s might have widened as well.

 

“Holy shit, I thought you ate it all. If I find out you’ve been joking, I’m gonna kill you for getting my hopes up, Erwin—“ Levi replied in wonder, because he honestly thought the blonde mass of muscle had eaten all of his favourite ice cream when he was supposed to be _comforting_ his friend, that jerk.

 

(He found that out sometime shortly after stealing Hanji’s pizza slice from right underneath her nose. This was in retaliation for her intentionally spilling crumbs all over the floor after one of Levi’s harsh but witty comebacks)

 

Erwin snickered.

 

There was a prolonged goodbye, an over-enthusiastic hug from Hanji that Levi dodged but did... appreciate, you know, maybe on another day after he’d prepared himself for like, a week or a year or never, and another firm nod from Erwin.

 

With that, Hanji and Erwin drove off in the blonde’s car. With the window rolled down, Levi could hear Hanji yammering about something until they rounded a corner and disappeared from his sight.

 

He shifted his weight from one foot to another before quietly making his way back inside.

 

He was still alone, and Erwin and Hanji had come over with the knowledge that his parents worked late anyway.

 

Levi sighed.

 

Before his friends had left he’d forced them to clean up with him anyway, which both distracted him from thinking about... his negativity, and also prolonged their presence.

 

Also, now the house was near spotless again.

 

Hanji was always too restless to clean properly and Erwin honestly avoided brooms and dust rags and cleaning sprays like the plague.

 

Oh, well, more meditation time for him.

 

Levi tied a bandana around his head until it covered his nose and mouth. He dug out some more cleaning supplies from out of the hallway closet and began to clean.

 

He wiped down the chairs and tables, vacuumed under the couch and between the cushions—yes, at ten in the evening, because the shit you find in there is disgusting, dusted some shelves for the hell of it, swept the floors, cleaned the television screen and remote and finally took out the trash.

 

By the time Levi had finished it was about midnight, and he was too exhausted to care. He sluggishly made his way to the bathroom and took a warm shower, changed into pajamas, and got ready for bed.

 

All without thinking about anything in particular, except perhaps, _I am not cleaning on a school night again, fuck that shit_.

 

He fell into his bed, pulled up some blankets and nestled against his pillow. It was like being in a soft, warm, clean cocoon. Levi sighed.

 

And realized that he still had homework to do and a test to study for.

 

“Fuck that shit,” he grumbled into his pillow.

 

Within ten minutes, he had dozed off.

 

 

 

 

 

The next day was somewhat better.

 

It was a Friday, which Levi was always grateful for ( _don’t have to see those morons over the weekend, and if I do, pretend you don’t notice them like the [not] too-cool motherfucker that you are, yeah)_. Of course it meant a weekend of worrying about what Eren thought about him, so that dampened his mood immediately.

 

_If he rejects me, is he never going to talk to me again? Fuck, how do I show him that I care about him? How do I show him that I’m not just going to leave him behind like he thinks I will?_

And on a darker, more depressing note:

 

**_How did he get to that assumption anyway?_ **

 

There was a brief flash of memory: a lanky freshman, a love letter with messy handwriting, angry eyes, and a, er, cruel rejection. (Levi had been nicer to some others, but he had been crueller as well)

 

But the fact that they’d talked with each other civilly, interacted with each other in school and after school, texted each other daily with fluffy crap that made Levi’s heart beat faster, and that _thing_ they shared on the school rooftop... wasn’t all of that enough for Eren to trust him on the romantic side of things?

 

Apparently, it wasn’t enough.

 

Levi sighed and ran a hand through his hair, careful, always careful not to muss it up. Or even if he did, he didn’t really care. It was last period and he didn’t have judo practice. He just wanted to curl up in bed with some movies or something. Hanji and Erwin always had shit to do on Fridays.

 

Worst case, Levi could take a late afternoon walk. If he was mugged along the way, then he could get some more exercise in handing a thief’s ass to them.

 

And, well, nobody usually bothered Levi anyway, especially with his poker face and his undercut and his dark clothes.

 

The bell rang signalling the end of class, and after gathering his things and dumping his books into his locker, Levi made his way out of the building.

 

He passed groups of other students: some giggling freshmen with colourful backpacks, a bunch of juniors waiting for their friends on the benches, a trio of sophomores eating as they walked, two seniors running in their gym clothes... the list could go on and on.

 

He made his way past the open field, steering close to the back of the bleachers to avoid other students. As he looked up his heart stopped up in his throat.

 

On the bleachers sat Eren with some of his friends. The sophomore was smiling, but there were dark circles under his eyes that Levi hadn’t seen before. He looked tired, as if all he wanted to do was fall asleep right there, but of course he couldn’t.

 

A familiar sophomore with two-toned hair smacked him on the shoulder. Eren punched him weakly on the hip as two-tone, no, Jean, stood up.

 

_Does he feel like shit too?_

 

Levi realized that he had stopped walking. Instead, he was standing there, right in the open like an idiot.

 

_Oh god, did I make him feel like shit?_

Guilt bubbled up in Levi’s chest, and he clenched his hands into fists.

 

_Could he be losing sleep... over me?_

It was selfish to hope, Levi thought, but if Eren still hadn’t made up his mind on whether or not he’d accept him... well...

 

Levi took one last look at Eren. He swallowed. He wanted to go up to him or send him a message. Anything, just to get a response.

 

_Three days._

 

Levi walked out, headed to his car, and tried not to catch Eren’s attention.

 

He didn’t.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Levi woke with a dull ache in his arm. He’d fallen asleep on it, and his laptop screen was black as it sat beside him, even though he’d fallen asleep with it on.

 

He rubbed his eyes and winced as the feeling began to slowly, painfully, make its way back to his other arm.

 

It was Saturday, and he did end up spending the rest of Friday afternoon watching movies, failing to cook a meal (but then found some leftovers in the fridge afterwards), getting pestered by his mother over the phone about whether or not the cable repairman had come by (no, he hadn’t), and trying hard not to think about Eren.

 

Maybe Saturday would be a calming—miserable—repeat of yesterday afternoon. Except with some more procrastination, because Levi also had an essay that he absolutely didn’t want to write.

 

He closed his laptop and made his way downstairs.

 

 

 

 

 

Levi spent most of the day scuffling around the house and his room. He briefly considered going out to alleviate his boredom when his mother left him alone again for work, but his thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell and a croaky male voice from the door.

 

He carefully made his way to the peephole.

 

It turned out to be the cable guy. Boring.

 

Boring, kind of like Levi’s Saturdays. But that was okay, because that was how he liked them.

 

(But by two p.m. he was thinking about Eren again and decided that, fuck it, he would brave the stupid sun and some stupid pedestrians for some fresh air)

 

 

 

 

 

His Sunday would have gone that way too if Erwin and Hanji hadn’t convinced him to go and hang out with them. They were currently crammed into Erwin’s car, having just exited a McDonald’s drive through.

 

“Hey, Levi, can I dip my fries in your McFlurry?” Hanji asked while chewing. Levi flinched as she leaned into his personal space. He held his ice cream as far away from her as possible.

 

“You’re not dunking your soggy fries into my McFlurry.”

 

“But I want to try it! You should try it too! Here,” she shoved her bag of fries in his face. Levi pushed it away slowly with his hand.

 

“I don’t want to die of a heart attack, thanks.”

 

“It’s just _one_ time.”

 

“Your fries are _stained_ with ketchup.”

 

“Fries are bland without ketchup. What’s wrong with you?”

 

"Who pours it all over the fries instead of in one corner? What's wrong with  _you?_ "

 

"I wish I had a McFlurry right now."

 

“I should have just bought a fucking burger.”

 

“Have you ever heard of a fries-burger?”

 

“You mean a burger with fries.”

 

“No, a fries-burger! It’s a burger with fries inside! I had it once and it was amazing! Erwin took me, actually—“ At this, Hanji gestured to their driver. Levi gave Erwin a disappointed look, but the blonde merely shrugged.

 

“That sounds like your version of a salad.”

 

“Well, it could be a fast food salad...”

 

“Thinking about it makes me sick.”

 

“Aww, you have a sensitive tummy, don’t you?”

 

“No, your tastebuds just have no class.”

 

They argued back and forth, with Erwin occasionally giving his own comments (that took his friends some time to decipher, and when they did, it was usually met with either a snort or a “Hey!”).

 

All in all, it was a great Sunday, and Levi’s phone didn’t ring once.

 

Except that one time Hanji went on her own and kept on messaging Erwin and Levi about something she had found. Neither of them went out to look for her. She returned ten minutes later, anyway, with her hands full of mysterious shopping bags.

 

Anyway, Levi didn’t receive any messages from Eren.

 

Today was the third day. He feared knowing Eren’s answer, but feared his silence even more. Would it be a good idea to approach him tomorrow, Levi wondered. Probably not.

 

Still, he wanted to see him. He missed the sophomore so much, and it had only been three days. Of course this was probably because they had ended their last meeting sort of badly, but, well...

 

Levi could blow off some appointments and watch him over at soccer practice again. It would be Eren’s choice on whether or not he’d approach Levi. The senior wouldn’t force anything.

 

He could... breathe.

 

All he had to do was wait.

 

And write that stupid fucking essay that he forgot about again, shit.


	11. u is for you and me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i couldnt keep these two idiots away from each other long. 
> 
> (guess who wrote another [ereri fanfic, set in canonverse](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3758026) this time. yep. it's me)

Levi huddled by himself along the bleachers.

 

_This was a bad idea._

 

Eren hadn’t seemed to notice him yet, and even if he did, he was doing a really great job of pretending he couldn’t see Levi. Levi was starting to regret coming over, because soon enough Eren would see him, they would make eye contact, and Levi would _know._

 

Even if Eren did come over, what could Levi even say? _“So, what’s your answer?” “Do you trust me?” “I promise you I’ll treat you better, because you deserve so much more”?_

When did he get so fucking sappy?

 

Levi sighed and pressed his chin against his knees. So what if he was curled up like a dork? He was getting nervous again, starting to wonder if this was a bad idea. Eren hadn’t called him at all today, so was that a sign in itself?

 

Well, he wouldn’t know until Eren had told him explicitly.

 

Levi watched their practice go off as usual. He followed Eren’s movements with his gaze, eyes softening as he saw his intense focus. Nothing could distract Eren, even when his teammate told a joke next to him. Both of them laughed, but then after a moment Eren’s concentration was back to his movements.

 

The white and orange cat that usually hung around the bleachers wasn’t there. Levi tried not to look so miserable or awkward all alone, with his face more sullen than usual (subtly, subtly sullen), because there were other students around the bleachers too.

 

Levi didn’t really give a shit what other people thought of him, but he didn’t want Eren to feel threatened in his presence.

 

_Too fucking late for that, Levi._

**_Shut up._ **

****

He tried not to grumble, instead watching the field idly instead.

 

All he wanted was for Eren to send him something stupidly endearing again over the phone. All he wanted was another conversation, another smile. All he wanted was Eren to love him honestly, he realized.

 

Ah, fuck. _Why’d you have to fall for him, of all people?_

 

**_Because he’s Eren._ **

****

_The universe is punishing you._

It sure was.

 

 

 

 

 

There was a lull where Levi couldn’t bear to stare at his favourite sophomore any longer. However, something interesting was happening on the field, and it caught his eye.

 

There was the whistle. Eren ran towards a teammate, half-jumping forward, and because his back was to Levi the senior couldn’t tell exactly what happened, but all of a sudden Eren was falling forward, arms flailing as he face-planted into the ground.

 

“Eren!” Levi called out on impulse. Eren’s name shot out of his mouth without his control. Levi’s cry had caught the attention of some students sprawled out several feet away on the bleachers, but soon enough they ignored him and resumed their own murmurs.

 

Eren hit the grass with a _thump_ , and his teammate hovered over him silently.

 

He got up without any help, though, instead rubbing his face and laughing away his team’s inquiries. He hobbled for a bit, but stretched out his leg and was back to normal within five minutes.

 

Levi sighed, realizing that he was fine.

 

_Stupid kid’s going to give me a heart attack one day._

**_Well, he’s already attacked your heart. Get it?_ **

****

If Levi could give the middle finger to his brain, then he would.

 

_Well that was embarrassing._

Still, he was so glad that Eren was okay.

 

Hopefully the sophomore hadn’t, ah, heard his little outburst.

 

 

 

 

 

Levi couldn’t stop fidgeting.

 

He knew that the team would be finished in about fifteen minutes. At least, it was nearing the time they usually finished practice. Levi was starting to think that if they extended, well, that wouldn’t be his problem, would it? Then maybe he could leave silently and make his way home, wait for Eren to reach out to him instead.

 

After all, every time Levi reached out, he fucked it up badly.

 

But there was that part of Levi that knew that he wouldn’t forgive himself for letting whatever it was they had to just fade away. If Eren never contacted him again... He couldn’t live with that.

 

Of course there was another option, and that was to give Eren another day. It would be four days instead of three, just so he could think more.

 

But then Levi might permit himself to stay away for five days, and then a week, and then two weeks, and then months... It was too easy for Levi to drift away from people (his friends actively sought him out instead of the other way around, usually), and he sure as hell didn’t want that to happen with Eren.

 

It was why he was nervously shaking his leg. His hands were clasped together over his knees. He’d spent the entire time worrying over what Eren would think along with what he could even _say._

Honestly, all of what he thought of sounded disappointing or fell too flat. He just hoped that he could find out as soon as he saw Eren. Maybe he could catch him right when he got out of the showers.

 

Right, the showers.

 

The team was dispersing now. They headed to the showers, and Levi caught a glimpse of Eren heading there as well. He had a towel slung over his shoulder and was talking to a tall junior. He didn’t spare Levi a single glance.

 

_Maybe he hasn’t noticed me yet? I’ll have to gauge his reaction when he sees me..._

Eren’s shower took Levi another agonizing fifteen minutes.

 

Eventually, the familiar green-eyed sophomore emerged.

 

Levi’s hands were shaking. He probably looked like an owl, with his wider-than-usual eyes.

 

_What the fuck do I do? What the fuck do I do?_

He cleared his throat and carefully stood up. Instead of approaching Eren, he removed his phone from his pocket and fired a text.

 

_Levi: I’m on the bleachers. Do you still want to talk to me?_

He pressed the send button without thinking. If he didn’t do it right away, Levi knew he’d end up never sending it at all.

 

Eren’s phone rang. It turned out that his bag was nearer than expected.

 

_Shit, shit, fuck shit—_

Eren carefully rushed towards his backpack and turned on his phone. Levi watched him with agitation. He tried very, very hard not to run away from the spot.

 

Eren looked up, face stony. He scanned the bleachers before finally finding Levi.

 

_Too late to run, okay, okay._

He carefully made his way towards the senior, phone clutched in his hands. As he approached, Levi’s heart could only beat faster.

 

It was a small comfort that Eren’s expression held no animosity up close. Instead, he looked a bit shy. He was wary, perhaps, and a bit awkward, but so was Levi.

 

“Got your text.” Eren said.

 

“Um.” Levi cleared his throat. “What do you think?”

 

Eren looked up at him and tilted his head to the side. He blinked up at Levi.

 

“It wasn’t a surprise. I heard you scream,” he said.

 

Levi tried to control the blush that flooded his cheeks. So he heard him, huh?

 

“I thought you were injured,” Levi replied honestly, a bit self-defeated. “You’re fine, right?”

 

“Yeah. I just tripped,” Eren said, and then laughed softly. “You got worried?”

 

Levi couldn’t speak. Instead, he held Eren’s gaze and gave a firm nod.

 

A small smile spread across Eren’s face. Levi wanted to approach him, but he didn’t. He realized that his entire body was stiff.

 

“I’m not so graceful all the time,” Eren said. Levi didn’t know why the hell he was saying it and not talking about whatever had to be settled in between them, but he figured it was better than the rejection he was probably going to get.

 

_Fine, I’ll settle for this._

_I’ll miss you like hell, Eren._

“You don’t have to be,” Levi replied.

 

There was a silence, and Levi tried hard not to look away. Eren’s eyebrows quivered and his lower lip thinned, as if he was thinking deeply about what to say next.

 

Whatever it would be, Levi braced himself for it.

 

“Let’s go on a date.” Eren declared.

 

Levi’s eyes widened. Did he hear that right?

 

“You want to go on a date with me?” the senior asked in disbelief. Eren cracked a familiar smile.

 

“Yeah, why not? It’ll be fun, right?”

 

“Of course.” _I’ll make sure it’s fun._

“Just because we’re dating doesn’t mean that we’re a couple. Let’s just... let’s just take it slow. I want to try the idea.”

 

Levi nodded.

 

“That... sounds like a good idea.”

 

“I’m glad you think so.” Eren beamed.

 

“So... do you have... any plans?”

 

Eren slowly made his way towards Levi. The senior’s heart only pounded even harder in his chest as the sophomore approached. At this rate, he was surprised he was still standing.

 

Eren stood next to him. He smiled down at him, and Levi couldn’t stop looking into his eyes.

 

“I was thinking this Saturday, if that’s okay with you? I mean, we could talk about it. You have my number,” Eren said.

 

“O-Of course,” Levi managed to spit out.

 

_Great, now he’s the cool one and you’re the nervous wreck. How the tables have turned._

In a painfully earnest voice, Eren confessed, “I missed talking to you.”

 

“I missed talking to you too.” Levi returned, in a voice almost too quiet to hear.

 

“Cheer up, okay? We can talk about the date later.” Eren chuckled, gently knocking his hand against Levi’s.

 

It was embarrassing how blown away Levi was by that one little gesture. He tried to swallow down the feelings that he felt he’d throw up.

 

Something had gone horribly right for once.

 

“Go text me another stupid joke,” Levi said, tone light.

 

“Aww, Levi, if I knew you only loved me for my jokes!”

 

 _I love you for more than just your jokes. I love you for your everything,_ Levi wanted to say, but didn’t.

 

“You only love me for my sass,” Levi replied, lips curving up into a tiny smirk. Eren snickered.

 

“But I also love you for your ass,” he replied bluntly, eyes twinkling with mischief.

 

_Where has that bumbling sophomore gone? Have these three days really changed him? Or maybe he’s finally trusting me enough to show another side...?_

_Well, I’m impressed._

“Yours was pretty cute too, sprawled out on the grass...”

 

Eren blushed. Levi really missed that sight too.

 

“Why... don’t you... have a little bit more... class?”

 

“Nah, I’ll pass.” Levi winked.

 

Eren obviously struggled to find a reply.

 

“Don’t blow your brains out trying to think, Eren.”

 

“Hey!”

 

“It’s like constipation. Even if you force it, the shit won’t come out no matter what you do.”

 

Eren snorted in an ugly laugh. Yeah, Levi missed that sight too.

 

“My ideas are not shit,” Eren said.

 

“Hm. I never said they were.”

 

Eren pouted. Levi flicked him on the nose.

 

Green eyes widened comically.

 

_So... damn... cute..._

“Did you just flick me on the nose?!”

 

“Yeah, I did. So what?”

 

Eren huffed.

 

He flicked Levi on the forehead.

 

Levi’s eyes narrowed. “What the fuck—“

 

Eren giggled, even though he looked nervous.

 

Levi shoved him roughly, but not enough to knock him over. Once Eren had stopped laughing, Levi sighed, glad that his emotional torment was, for now, over.

 

The sophomore stuck his tongue out at him, and Levi only raised a single brow in response.

 

“You’re impossible,” he muttered.

 

“I try to be.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eren had barely changed.

 

Sure, he was flirting a bit harder, and now they were scheduling a _date_ , but it was like the previous three days had never happened.

 

Eren had sent Levi a text in the evening, and they had another ridiculous conversation about something funny and inane. Maybe there was something deeply personal in there, but that required someone to read through the lines.

 

Honestly, Levi didn’t want to push for anything farther. Things would eventually fall into place at the right time and all that shit, right?

 

Either way, he was smiling like an idiot in bed again, with the light from his phone the only thing illuminating his room.

 

_Levi: Go to sleep, Eren. It’s really late._

Not that Levi wasn’t used to being up later, out of his own volition or not.

 

_Eren: night levi!_

_Levi: Goodnight._

Good night, indeed.


	12. n is for no chill

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just love these two so much ;_;

“You look tired,” Eren said, voice concerned. He shoved his last bite of pizza into his mouth and leaned slightly towards Levi. They were sitting next to each other, but weren’t close enough to touch.

 

“Couldn’t sleep well,” Levi replied, leaning back. His legs dangled over the school rooftop. Another breeze hit both of them and he resisted the urge to smile. A lazy lunch break all alone with Eren, sitting next to him while the sun hid behind some pretty clouds... Levi would never admit it, but he loved today already.

 

“But I’m used to it, so it’s all right,” he finished.

 

See, the thing was, it was one of those days where Levi would have had to eat lunch alone. Erwin was occupied with some emergency student council business. Hanji was nowhere to be found. Levi didn’t want to claim a cafeteria table all for himself if he wasn’t eating with anyone else, so he had made his way to the rooftop. Eren caught him before he reached his destination and suggested that he eat with him.

 

Levi inquired about his friends, but Eren smiled up at him and waved it off, saying something about Armin being busy and not wanting to deal with horse face or else he’d lose appetite.

 

Well, whatever it was he said, Levi had agreed and they went up to the rooftop together.

 

They currently sat on the edge of the roof. Levi’s legs hung in free air while Eren opted to cross his legs instead.

 

The sophomore produced a packet of potato chips from somewhere inside of his jacket.

 

“It’s bad not to get enough sleep,” Eren said, ripping the bag of chips open. “If it happens often, maybe you should get it checked out?”

 

Levi stared at him in disbelief, still thinking something along the lines of _Holy shit, where did that food come from?_

“Do you normally hide snacks in your jacket like a fucking drug dealer?” Levi asked in disbelief. Eren snorted.

 

“No, I just grabbed this along the way. Now, come on, I want to know if you’re getting help for your sleeping problems.”

 

“It’s not that bad,” Levi mumbled in reply. “Sure, I look like a racoon wearing eyeliner and get a little grumpier than usual—“ At this, Eren snickered and Levi shot him a glare that was promptly ignored. “—But it’s not deadly.”

 

“So I guess all the advice about warm baths and hot drinks and ambient lights before bed don’t work?” Eren asked, chewing noisily. He looked up at Levi, shaking the chips a little. “Want some?”

 

“No,” Levi replied swiftly, wrinkling his nose. The chips smelled like vinegar. As much as he loved vinegar for its cleaning properties (just don’t ever mix it with bleach, as he had once traumatically learned), he could never get along with it as a chips flavour. Eren was a fucking machine.

 

“Okay.” Eren continued chewing and then paused, tilting his head to the side. “Was that directed to my first question or my second?”

 

“Both of them.”

 

“Oh. Uh, well, sometimes I think the new age advice is all bullshit too. No matter how hard I try I can’t relax sometimes, either. I mean, why go to bed if you’re still wide awake and have lots of stuff to do, you know?”

 

“Hm. It’s true.”

 

“You know, Levi, you always look pretty cool and composed all the time, but I feel like you have trouble relaxing too. Like, you subtly tense up a lot. Maybe that’s why you can’t sleep?”

 

Eren was running his mouth again, unaware of Levi’s reaction. Or perhaps much too aware, as he had already stated. Levi’s eyes widened slightly. He turned his head to look at Eren in surprise. The sophomore was still talking, hand reaching for more chips.

 

“I hope you don’t think I’m psycha-analyzing—sigh— _psycho-analyzing_ (hey, I learned it from Armin!) you or whatever, it’s just that... I know what being on edge most of the time means too, and okay, I’m still not very good at impulse control and all that crap, but, ah, what am I saying?”

 

Levi hadn’t spoken. He continued to look up at Eren, face curious, urging him on. Eren took one look at him and then laughed, comforted by whatever was in Levi’s expression, perhaps.

 

“I’m just saying, since we’re friends and all, you can talk to me about personal stuff too, okay? I want to trust you, and I know you want to trust me. Let’s try to help each other out.” He finished, finally looking at Levi straight in the eyes. There were crumbs stuck around the edges of his mouth and Levi wanted to wipe them away, but he blinked.

 

“First of all,” Levi muttered, tone flat. “Your face is covered in potato. Like a bomb exploded.”

 

Eren blushed and quickly wiped his mouth.

 

“Second, normally I’d be pissed off if someone told me that but...” At this, Levi sighed. “Coming from you, I appreciate it. I’m just... I’m not good with the whole human interaction thing, as you’ve probably guessed by now. I’m not up with puking my emotional torment into other people’s laps.”

 

Eren nodded once.

 

“I guessed that,” he said, turning his entire body to face Levi. “But I wanted to say that anyway.”

 

Levi looked at him, held his gaze for a while. Eren’s eyes were entirely earnest, wide and honest and blazing.

 

“Thanks, Eren, but my sleeping problems aren’t the symptom of some deeply-rooted psycho personality.” He said, face blank but eyes twinkling. Levi was joking, even when deadpan, and Eren knew it.

 

Eren snickered.

 

“Aww, and to think you had this whole mysterious bad boy image too.”

 

“Bad boy? Huh? Me?”

 

“Yeah, that’s what most of the school thinks of you.”

 

“Hey, get your facts straight. Morons can’t tell wannabe bad boys from punk rockers.”

 

Eren snorted. He crumpled the now empty chips bag ( _well, that was fast_ ) in his fist and covered his mouth with his other hand, currently failing to hide his wide grin.

 

“Oh my god, you just called yourself punk rock.”

 

Levi only raised a brow. Eren looked up at him, but it took only one second before he was giggling again.

 

“Yeah, okay, you look really punk. It’s just funny because I never thought you’d call yourself one.” He said, snickering.

 

“Well, you jock, I just wanted to remind you. Just in case you’ve forgotten.”

 

“Aww, Levi, how can I forget? You’re my favorite little punk.”

 

_Did he just make a short joke?_

“If you insult my height again you won’t be my favorite sophomore anymore. You won’t be my favorite _jock_ either.” Levi huffed, almost childishly. Eren grinned back.

 

“You think I was insulting your height? Woah, Levi, only if you _insist._ ”

 

“You’re such a little shit.”

 

“Nah, I’m not little.”

 

Eren laughed as Levi pounced on him, playfully wrestling him to the ground. They rolled around and _away_ from the rooftop’s edge once they noticed their precarious position. While Levi was momentarily distracted by the thought of _holy shit, we could’ve fucking **died**_ , Eren wrapped his legs around his hips and shoved him aside until they rolled over and Levi was under him helplessly.

 

It only took a moment for Levi to recover, and he flipped a laughing Eren over (farther away from the rooftop edge this time) without wasting any more time.

 

They shuffled around a bit more, both of them unconsciously laughing and chuckling all the while. There was a moment where Eren hovered over Levi’s torso and asked, “Hey, are you ticklish?” Levi had glared at him, swore, but soon enough Eren’s fingers were creeping up the senior’s sides. Levi’s limbs flailed around, and he almost elbowed Eren’s jaw, but the sophomore only grinned at him evilly while he spluttered out curses.

 

“So you are ticklish, ha ha ha—“ Eren had laughed and was cut off by a knee to his chest. His arms went limp and he rolled over to the side, landing on his back with a dull thump.

 

“That answers the question.” Eren said in between pants. Levi kicked him in the shin. It barely hurt, and Eren was too tired to respond anyway.

 

“The next time you do that, I’m kneeing you in the balls.” Levi huffed. He was tired too, but his breaths were more controlled than Eren’s.

 

Eren rolled over to his side to face Levi and propped his head on his arm.

 

“Has anyone ever tickled you? I really wonder what happened to the last person who tried to tickle you,” He said quickly, grin threatening to break his face in half.

 

“It was Hanji,” Levi replied smoothly. He grimaced in disgust once he realized he was on the filthy rooftop floor, but was too tired to pick himself up. Who knew laughing so much—getting attacked by tickles, of all things—was so exhausting? “She wouldn’t stop until I accidentally shoved her aside and broke her glasses.”

 

Eren made a hum of understanding.

 

They were quiet for another moment, heartbeats steadily starting to calm down.

 

“I’m going to get you for that one day, you brat,” Levi said, still refusing to get up. He was lying on his back and the clouds were pretty and he could _feel_ Eren beside him, so maybe it wasn’t all bad. “So go sleep with one eye open.”

 

Eren giggled again.

 

Levi sighed softly, trying not to break into a smile and destroy his one-liners.

 

“Isn’t it _‘you should sleep with one eye open’?_ ” Eren asked, right beside him. Levi shrugged.

 

“Same thing.”

 

“Careful, you’re starting to sound like one of those villains from Scooby-Doo.” Eren snickered.

 

“I’m going to water your fucking cat.”

 

Eren gave a mock-gasp of horror, which was promptly interrupted by his own uncontrollable fit of giggles. He snickered beside Levi, and this time the senior smirked. He turned his head and watched Eren laugh, curled up on the ground.

 

“’I’m going to water your fucking cat.’ Oh my god. Oh my god, Levi, what kind of a threat is that?” Eren laughed again, unable to speak for a moment. “And he’s _your_ cat too. I’ve seen you two _bonding_ now, so you can’t deny it anymore.”

 

“Eren.” Levi spoke seriously, though he was joking, of course. Eren looked at him, smiling softly. “Eren. I don’t think I’m ready for joint custody. I’m not ready to be a father.”

 

They were quiet for a moment, staring at each other’s eyes intently, before both of them broke off into their quiet little chuckles.

 

“You’re ridiculous,” Eren murmured. Levi only sighed.

 

Maybe it was time to get up?

 

Maybe not.

 

“Only because you bring out the best in me,” Levi replied.

 

And then, lo and behold, the stupid bell rang, signalling the end of lunch break. It was always ready to ruin everything, thought Levi.

 

They both got up slowly and started to dust themselves off. Levi ran a hand through his hair to comb it down somewhat. He straightened out his clothes and tried not to look like he had a wrestling-turned-tickling match on the rooftop.

 

Eren was grinning at him from the side, his messy hair messier than ever and his clothes in disarray.

 

“Careful, Eren,” Levi mumbled in a low voice, walking past the sophomore and towards the exit. “If you go down looking like that, people will you think you were busy.”

 

“Huh? Busy?”

 

“You know, getting _intimately_ roughed-up with a very _cool_ and handsome senior.”

 

Eren’s indignant whine could be heard even from the stairs. Levi stifled a chuckle. He could definitely imagine the blush that was definitely coating Eren’s cheeks.

 

Levi couldn’t be gladder that they were finally going on a date that Saturday. It was only Wednesday, but he knew that the two of them were going to see each other more often soon.

 

Levi made his way through the corridors, fortunate enough not to be late to class. As soon as he took his seat, the girl sitting next to him blinked up in surprise.

 

“Something wrong, Petra?” he asked, turning his head to her. She only smiled and shook her head, short hair bouncing over her shoulders.

 

“No, no, it’s just that you look like you’re in a really good mood today. Did something amazing happen?”

 

He leaned forward, supporting his chin with his fist.

 

Levi smirked.

 

“Hm. I suppose you could call it that.”

 

Just being around Eren, Levi would soon determine, was more than _just_ amazing in itself.


	13. love is a disease

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> very messy chapter that i apologize for. i just wanted to write levi being all concerned and wanting the best for eren but having absolutely no idea what to do bc, u know, that would be him. also mikasa and levi bonding over their love for eren is very cute. *__* (don't worry, date is next chapter)

As Saturday got closer, Levi’s mood was soaring higher and higher. Erwin and Hanji had even pointed it out, and the dark-haired senior’s reaction was to just ignore them with a shrug. His new aura even intimidated some underclassmen further, and it might have inspired a rumor that he’d just killed someone.

 

He didn’t even bother to acknowledge it, because all the important people knew the truth anyway (that he hadn’t killed anyone, ever, although sometimes he was close to wanting to). This in itself was _proof_ of his good mood.

 

It horrified Erwin a bit. He was his usual smiling perfect self, but Levi saw the fear that quivered in those deep blue eyes.

 

Okay, maybe he was exaggerating, but the idea of it amused him.

 

Eren had suggested an aquarium park a la Sea World, and even though Levi thought the idea was incredibly cliché he still did want to go because it was with _Eren_ , you know? There were other things Levi would rather do than watch weird-looking fish through dirty glass, but he figured he could tease and watch Eren instead, because chances are he’d be enraptured by it. What a child.

 

There was simply a small problem he couldn’t have foreseen.

 

_Eren: night, levi ^^_

_Levi: Goodnight, Eren. So you’re finally sleeping early._

Because honestly, it was just ten in the evening and Levi knew the sophomore stayed up much later than that on most nights. The only exception was when he fell asleep while doing something else.

 

_Eren: my head hurts. Sleep tight grumpy_

That was on Thursday.

 

 

 

 

 

_Eren: hey levi im really sorry_

_Eren: im sick rn i might be l8 tom_

_Sick?!_

 

Levi’s brows furrowed in concern. He had just gotten out of the shower that Friday evening, and was surprised at Eren’s texts. He sat down on his bed and sighed.

 

_Levi: If you can’t make it tomorrow, then don’t go. We can go another time. Get some sleep and get better._

_Eren: r u sure??_

_Levi: I’m not going anywhere._

He drummed his fingers against the mattress.

 

_Eren: i was excited 4 tom :(_

_Levi: So was I, but we can’t do anything if you’re just going to puke and collapse. Go to bed, Eren._

_Eren: i am in bed. Jsut woke up_

_Levi: Have you eaten?_

_Eren: yeah_

_Eren: txt u tom levi :)_

Levi placed his phone down on the bed and tried to ignore the concern prickling at the edge of his tongue.

 

_He’ll be fine._

 

 

 

 

 

Levi didn’t actually know whether or not Eren would be fine without him, but he was alarmed to know some things.

 

For example, Eren had just woken up sometime past eleven in the morning after having slept for about sixteen hours straight.

 

His first reaction, apparently, was to eat the food his sister had left out for him in front of his doorway and then text Levi.

 

_Eren: gud morning_

_Levi: Good morning. Feel better?_

_Eren: dizzy n food tastes bad_

_Levi: That’s how it is when you’re sick._

_Eren: i cant sleep anymore_

_Eren: but i cant walk properly_

_Eren: so im just in bed rn_

_Levi: Bury yourself in blankets until you get better. I don’t think you’re supposed to be walking around anyway._

_Eren: aww levi r u concerned?_

_Eren: i need 2 go downstairs 4 water tho_

_Eren: but i don’t wanna_

_Levi: Can’t you ask your sister to get you some?_

_Eren: mika had a compet 2day. I didnt want her 2 miss it bc of me._

_Levi: Your mother?_

_Eren: mom n dad r out of town. Ugh_

_Levi: You’re home alone?_

_Eren: yes :(_

It could have been a cliché scene from a teen movie if Levi wasn’t worried that the stupid sophomore would topple down the stairs or something.

 

_Levi: Tell me your address. I’m going to your house._

_Eren: didn’t think u would move that fast huh ;)_

_Levi: Shut the fuck up. Text me your address. Stay in bed before you kill yourself._

_Eren: im fine_

_Levi: I’ll send someone for you, if you’d rather have that._

There was a pause.

 

_Eren: no thnx. If u r wanna check if im still alive..._

 

Eren sent him his address.

 

Levi almost got lost along the way, but he managed to find it. This was after he asked Hanji for advice (hey, he was home alone too right now and she _did_ know more than him and Yahoo! Answers combined), and managed to bring over several brands of medicine for different illnesses (he didn’t actually know what Eren was sick with, he realized), some facemasks and gloves just in case it was, you know, contagious, and another large box of tissues because why the fuck not.

 

A little bit over noon, Levi found himself stomping down the Jaegers’ driveway. Eren opened the door for him.

 

He looked miserable.

 

The sophomore’s eyes were droopy and he was leaning against the doorframe so heavily that one shove could have sent him toppling over. He held a blanket around his body like a cape. His face was red and he was sniffling—gross—but one look at Levi made his face erupt into a small, sleepy, out-of-focus smile.

 

“You came,” he said, voice nasal. His nose was obviously blocked. “Look, I’m still alive.”

 

“I can see that,” Levi replied, coming inside. He shut the door behind him and watched Eren warily, just in case he’d fall over. “But I want to make sure you stay that way. Just go back to bed. Need anything?”

 

“Why are you being so nice?” Eren asked. It took a moment for Levi to decipher his question amongst a clogged nose and numerous sniffles in between.

 

_Why **am**_ _I doing all of this for him?_

 

Levi didn’t know. All that he was sure of was that he was worried. He may go a little overboard when that happened, sure...

 

“Friends don’t let friends die.” He said, pushing Eren forward. Eren carefully, slowly, made his way back to his room with hunched shoulders and sniffles. Levi made sure he could catch him if he fell as they ascended the stairs.

 

“I’m not gonna dieee,” Eren whined. He then coughed.

 

“You’re spreading germs everywhere,” Levi muttered.

 

Eren groaned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eren fell asleep as soon as he hobbled into his bed.

 

Levi stared at him from the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. He sighed at the messy state of his room, but Eren looked comfortable in his nest of pillows and blankets. He was breathing shallowly but softly, half of his face buried into a pillow.

 

“You’re an idiot.” Levi said.

 

Eren snored in response.

 

 

 

 

 

_Levi: He’s asleep. What do I do now?_

_Hanji: was he cold? Let him sweat it out_

_Levi: He’s covered in blankets._

_Hanji: go make him hot soup & give him a paracetamol when he wakes up_

_Hanji: im sure even u can handle that ;)_

Levi’s eye twitched, but Hanji’s advice was appreciated. What? He wasn’t a fucking nurse.

 

_Hanji: its all generic stuff. Drink lots of fluids, keep warm, get lots of sleep. Take his temp_

_Levi: Thanks._

_Hanji: tell me if hes still miserable after five hours. Oh but tell me about whats happening too! :)_

_Levi: Hm._

Hanji was so nosy and she wasn’t even subtle about it.

 

 

 

 

 

Eren woke up sometime after four in the afternoon. Levi took Hanji’s advice and was pleasantly surprised to learn that he looked better.

 

For one thing, Eren was grinning. He looked exhausted, but he was grinning.

 

“I didn’t take you for a mother hen type,” he said, an empty soup bowl in his hands. Levi snorted. He stood at the foot of Eren’s bed and kicked away a pile of discarded clothes. Still, the boy was sick and Levi didn’t have the heart to nag.

 

“Hanji gave me the advice.”

 

“Yeah, but you actually came over. Armin usually does but he couldn’t today. Sorry for bothering you.”

 

Levi looked up at him and saw that his eyes were wide and lucid despite his (not that bad) fever. The senior quickly looked away.

 

“This isn’t bothering me.”

 

When he looked back at Eren, the sophomore was smiling at him.

 

Levi awkwardly shuffled over and gathered the dirty dishes in his hands. Eren watched him all the while, even as he quietly exited the room and headed downstairs.

 

He made his way to the kitchen and cleaned up, well, everything. He washed the dishes he’d used, dried them, and returned them all to the places where he’d found them, all the while trying not to think about what the hell he was doing in the first place. It wasn’t like he was a mature adult or anything, or even the kind of motherly friend who’d hold your hair back while you threw up into a dirty toilet.

 

His phone rang right when he closed the tap.

 

_Erwin: What’s this I hear about you playing nurse?_

Levi wanted to throw his phone against the wall and dunk his head into the garbage disposal.

 

There went his self-control.

 

His cheeks were warm and he knew he was blushing like hell _._ Maybe he was sick too.

 

_Levi: What’s this I hear about you being a dick?_

Low blow, but he was so damn embarrassed and no one could do anything about it.

 

_Erwin: This is the cutest first date you’ve ever had._

_Levi: This is not our first date. He’s sick and alone and I didn’t want the idiot to trip down the stairs and die._

_Erwin: Careful, Levi. You’re getting soft :)_

_Levi: Get your eyebrows away from my inbox._

At one point, Levi got bored of lounging around the first floor, so he decided to go back upstairs and check on Eren. It was just to, you know, make sure he was still breathing. If he’d died under Levi’s watch then his sister would surely kill him, that’s all.

 

Amazingly, Eren was in the same position he left him in. Levi wanted to approach him, sit on the edge of the bed, and push back the hair from his face. He slept with his mouth open, and the sight forced Levi to stifle a chuckle.

 

Instead, he noiselessly made his way across the room and pulled up Eren’s blankets until his chin was tucked under the covers. Levi refrained from patting his head, realizing that it was probably unwashed and gross, anyway.

 

“The things you make me do,” he whispered.

 

Eren burrowed further into his pillow.

 

Levi gave a very tiny, very soft smile.

 

 

 

 

 

It was nearly seven in the evening, and while Eren was still sleeping (he’d woken up several times in between, and during these intervals Levi had learned that his fever was mostly gone—Eren only gave him a sleepy look, because he was groggy from sleeping so much), Levi was also downstairs.

 

He was currently wondering what he’d have to get for dinner. Sure, there was _Eren_ who was improving, but there was him too. He was hungry, all right? He didn’t want to get anything from the Jaegers’ fridge unless it was for Eren, so he figured maybe buying something from the convenience store around the corner would be good...

 

_Erwin: Are you still at Eren’s?_

Yes, he was still at Eren’s, thank you very much, Erwin.

 

_Levi: Yeah._

Erwin didn’t reply. Levi scowled, already imagining his smug smirk perfectly. If he was betting on him and Eren or something...

 

The door swung open and Levi turned his head to look at it.

 

A girl with short dark hair locked the door behind her softly. She looked like she was in a rush to get home, panting quietly and nearly dropping the grocery bags in her hands.

 

She looked up to meet Levi’s gaze. Her eyes widened, first in surprise and then hostility.

 

“You’re Levi Ackerman?” she asked, voice low.

 

Levi stepped out of the kitchen and cocked his head to the side.

 

“Yes. Are you his sister?”

 

“Of course. I’m Mikasa. What are you doing here?”

 

It seemed like she had momentarily forgotten about the bags in her hands.

 

Levi shrugged.

 

“Eren’s sick,” he replied.

 

Mikasa’s shoulders relaxed somewhat. She eyed him warily before placing the grocery bags down onto the counter behind him.

 

“The fever’s almost gone,” Levi told her. She sighed.

 

“He’s still in one piece, you know, last I checked,” he added. Mikasa looked at him with a glint in her eye that Levi couldn’t decipher.

 

“Thanks for taking care of him,” she said. Her tone was sharp but she did sound earnest underneath it all. Levi huffed.

 

“Of course.” He peeked into a crumbling plastic bag. “Is that for dinner?”

 

A pack of instant noodles slid onto the counter. He could’ve sworn that he saw a hint of pink on Mikasa’s cheeks.

 

“I... don’t know how to cook,” she confessed. “Did you make Eren anything?”

 

Levi sighed, smacking his palm against his face.

 

“I just made him some soup.”

 

Did Mikasa look... hopeful? It was a bit scary...

 

“I don’t know how to cook either.”

 

They both looked down in dejected silence. A few seconds later, Mikasa’s stomach grumbled, and she covered it with her arms. Levi wrinkled his nose.

 

“I rushed home as soon as the competition finished,” she told him. She began to dig through the grocery bags, and Levi watched her produce some pretty poor food choices, if you asked him. “My idiot of a brother said he felt okay even though he was feverish, and I felt so guilty for leaving him... Armin couldn’t make it and like hell Jean knows how to take care of a sick person...”

 

Something thudded slowly down the stairs. Both of them looked up to see Eren yawning and rubbing his eyes as he clung to the banister.

 

“Eren! You should be in bed!” Mikasa exclaimed, making her way towards him. Eren didn’t look as bad, honestly, if you didn’t count his ridiculous bed head. He still looked groggy, but his face was back to its usual color and he no longer swayed on his feet. Even his eyes were more alert.

 

“Nah, I’m better now,” he swatted away her hands, pouting as she approached, probably to push him back upstairs. “I spent a day and a half in bed anyway. ‘M bored as hell.”

 

“We should check for a fever,” Levi suggested.

 

Mikasa’s eyes darkened, and she nodded fervently.

 

Eren looked alarmed. He shot Levi a glare.

 

“I’m fine,” he insisted. He wasn’t wearing the blanket-cape anymore. “What’s for dinner?”

 

At this, both Mikasa and Levi grimaced.

 

“Huh? What’s wrong...? Did something bad... happen? Mikasa? Levi? What’s up? Eh, Levi? Are you leaving?”

 

“Don’t you abandon us, you midget—“ Mikasa snapped. Levi had made his way to the front door, and he looked over his shoulder to glare at her.

 

Eren snorted.

 

“I’m not abandoning any of you, you fucking morons,” Levi spat out. “I’m heading to the convenience store in search of real food.”

 

He slammed the door behind him. As soon as he stepped out, he heard Eren’s hoarse voice yell, “You won’t find any real food there!”

 

_Ah, shit._

 

Well, he was outside anyway. Might as well try.

 

(He’d end up coming back less than an hour later with take-out in his hands, because you know, Levi didn’t want to disappoint. No, he meant he was hungry too, and it was good to share, you know? Ah, fuck it)

 

_Erwin: So, dinner with the in-laws?_

_Levi: If I find out you’re watching us from the bushes I’m calling the cops._

_Erwin: Thanks for the confirmation, Levi._


	14. they're trying to be romantic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you know how levi loves freedom and outdoors beyond the walls and everything? transported into a modern setting with a normal life, i imagine that he'd hate dark cramped spaced with low ceilings. idk.
> 
> short chapter, but the next two ones will be a treat,i promise :)

Here it was. Saturday. Aquarium date.

 

Levi was nervous as hell, even though he didn’t know why. It wasn’t as if anything bad was going to happen, right? He just had to act normally and prevent Eren from diving into a fish pond or something.

              

Hopefully it would just go well.

 

Eren was about ten minutes late, which Levi expected considering it was around ten in the morning, right after the place opened up. He’d bought both of their tickets as soon as he got there anyway, and Eren insisted on paying for his own one. Levi glared at him, reminded him it was a date and it was Eren’s fault for being late anyway. Eren just shoved some money into his pocket and refused to take it back.

 

Levi sighed, but found himself following him into the entrance anyway. It wasn’t something they could really fight about.

 

As soon as they entered, Eren’s eyes opened wide in wonder. Levi didn’t understand it that much. In fact, he was starting to feel claustrophobic. The large room had a low ceiling, and different sea creatures hovered over them and around them in clear glass containers. The floors and walls were painted blue.

 

Levi felt very small.

 

“Oh, wow, look at that!” Eren exclaimed, pointing up at the glass ceiling. Something big and colorful flew past their heads, and Levi had no idea what the fuck it was.

 

He really hated the ocean.

 

Eren’s eyes were practically sparkling though.

 

The sophomore ran forward, darting in between glass cases. Levi followed behind him with small, silent steps. All of the eyes staring at him as he passed... small and glassy... fish-mouths flopping open and close... all that seaweed dancing around... He felt a shiver run down his spine.

 

_Please don’t throw up. Just. Just don’t look at them. Focus on Eren or something._

 

Levi vaguely wondered if they had penguins or something, because he figured those things would waddle around on land for treats instead of dive back into the fucking water tanks. He could deal with that.

 

Eren was currently ooh-ing and ahh-ing over some kind of water snake. It had been curling up on the sand, but as soon as Levi approached, it darted out and began swimming into the water, revealing the underside of its belly. Eren’s gaze traced its path, and it shimmered in different colors under the light from above.

 

“I’ve never seen any of these fish before,” Eren said, turning to look at Levi who stood awkwardly behind him.

 

“That’s why it’s an _ocean_ park, you know.” Levi replied.

 

“No, I mean I’ve been to the ocean before. Snorkeling on a beach and everything. I still don’t recognize anything.”

 

“Hm.” Levi tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. “You really like the ocean, don’t you?”

 

“I love it,” Eren laughed. Levi exhaled softly, tucking away that piece of information for future use. Anyway, he looked cute and innocent, and Levi couldn’t resist. He reached up and ruffled Eren’s hair.

 

The sophomore froze in surprise but let him. As soon as Levi retracted his hand, he blinked.

 

“You’re cute.” Levi stated simply. Eren huffed, but there was certainly a faint blush on his cheeks.

 

Well, Levi felt better already.

 

“Let’s look at the jellyfish,” Eren said instead. He tugged on Levi’s arm and headed for another room that was labelled _The Ocean Deep._ Eren’s warm hand felt nice on Levi’s forearm, and that was probably the only reason why he didn’t shiver upon stepping into the room.

 

He wasn’t sure how big this room was. It was almost completely dark this time. The only light sources came from neon bulbs decorating the walls and the tanks. Jellyfish of all colors bobbed up and down in their tanks, like in some kind of ritualistic trance.

 

“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” Eren breathed softly. Levi looked up at him, his throat dry. Eren’s face was softer this time, his excitement finally subdued. He released Levi’s arm, and the senior was disappointed.

 

“They are.” Levi agreed. The jellyfish were almost hypnotic, even if their tentacles and blob-shapes were bizarre. It felt so surreal, like something from a dream. Eren leaned against him softly, his shoulder sharp against Levi’s, even through the fabric of their shirts.

 

“I’ve always wanted to travel around the world and all that stuff,” Eren said, voice low. It seemed only appropriate for the dimly lit room. Another couple stood in front of a tank, mesmerized by the sight as they whispered softly to each other. They were holding hands. “But the ocean is beautiful too, and it’s not like you can just dive down to see all of it. It’s a different world down there. Seeing it like this, though, is almost calming...”

 

Levi was quiet. Eren was too, for a short while.

 

“I’m glad that I could see it with you. Do you like it, Levi?” Eren asked him, smiling. Levi looked up.

 

The neon bulbs lit up Eren’s face in an eerie manner. Soft reds and greens and blues danced across his chest and the slope of his nose. Still, even in the unnatural lighting, his eyes were bright as ever.

 

“I do.” Levi replied, looking at him.

 

“Then I’m glad.” Eren replied, looking away. “Where do you want to go next?”

 

“You pick,” Levi answered, nudging his hip with his hand. Eren shrugged.

 

“We can walk around a bit before the sea lion show. What about that?”

 

 _I had a feeling he wanted to see that. Hm._ Levi smiled, but it was small enough to be invisible in the limited lighting.

 

“Sure.”

 

 

 

 

 

It turned that yes, there were penguins.

 

They waddled around their icy terrain. A mother (human) guided her (also smaller human) child as they threw several fish into the ice. The penguins waddled closer, gobbling it up. Someone squealed, and the sound of a camera click was heard.

 

Levi rubbed his arms. Okay, it was colder here than expected. Eren looked absolutely unshaken beside him, though. He was grinning at a group of younger kids that were fawning over the penguins.

 

“If you pay you can feed the penguins,” Eren stated, pointing at a zoo employee that was carrying a bucket of fish. Said employee was waving at a group of girls.

 

“I don’t want to feed the penguins,” Levi replied. Then paused. “Do you want to?”

 

“Nah, I’m fine.”

 

“Sure?”

 

Eren’s cheeks puffed. Levi crossed his arms, huddling into himself further. Eren took one look at him and then shrugged.

 

“Let’s go upstairs into the open air tanks.”

 

That sounded like a good idea. Levi nodded.

 

He couldn’t ignore the steady weight of Eren’s hand against the small of his back.

 

 

 

 

 

They stepped out into open space. Levi was warmed enough by then, and he was satisfied by a cool breeze that came in.

 

Sure, it smelled like seawater and candy, but he could take what he’d get.

 

“Hey, we can still catch some of the sea lion show from here!” Eren exclaimed. He was excited again, and Levi looked to where he was pointing. The arena several feet down was already packed despite the early hour. It was mostly full of families and tour groups.

 

They stood against balcony rails. The stage below, filled with water, was too small for them to get a good look, but Eren seemed fine with it anyway. There was a splash of water as the host laughed and the crowd shrieked.

 

Levi was glad that they were up here, dry, instead of down there. Eren smiled at him.

 

They weren’t actually early enough to catch that much. A trainer played with the sea lion, helping it do some tricks. At one point it dove into the water and nudged a ball back onto concrete ground.

 

The show was closing, and a few people were allowed to go up close to meet the animals.

 

Eren hummed as a breeze came in to cool both he and Levi down. Levi sighed, already bored of the tedium. Watching Eren’s face go through a myriad of emotions was more enjoyable, especially when their elbows would bump into each other’s every now and then.

 

Okay, Levi would also admit that he now stood closer, so much so that their hips were touching gently.

 

“You hungry?” Eren asked, turning to him. “We could get lunch.”

 

“I don’t think this place sells anything that can be considered lunch,” Levi grumbled. The only food stalls he’d seen sold ridiculous snacks.

 

“Actually, there’s a good place someone recommended to me nearby. Come on,” Eren said, beckoning Levi to follow. Levi did, and they walked through a maze of stalls and people, every now and then narrowly avoiding a child wearing an animal hat.

 

They made their way to the back of the building. The floors were now mostly grass, and while some more empty pools were lying around, it was starting to look like a picnic area. A few benches were scattered with leaves.

 

Eren walked up to a wooden stall selling seafood. Well, they all sold seafood, if they weren’t seafood themed. Levi thought it was a bit ironic.

 

_Fish are friends indeed._

 

Eren bought something that looked like an oversized takoyaki. Levi bought a fish kebab.

 

He took a bite.

 

Well, that was certainly better than expected.

 

They sat down on a bench, Levi brushing off the leaves before taking a seat, and munched on their food underneath the shade of a large tree.

 

“It’s good, isn’t it?” Eren asked him in between large bites.

 

“It is.” He agreed, and then slung his arm over the back of the bench. His wrist grazed Eren’s shoulder. “Slow down before you choke on it, will you?”

 

“I’m not choking on anything,” Eren replied, voice partially muffled by food. Levi wrinkled his nose in disgust, but Eren swallowed it down and snickered, carefully chewing before he spoke again, mouth empty this time.

 

“Why do you always think I’m going to die? I’m not that fragile, you know.”

 

“I wonder myself how you’ve survived your entire life.”

 

“Oh, with lots of luck. And, you know, I’m not as bad at things as you expect.” Eren winked at him. Did he just fucking wink at him? What the hell did that mean? Levi frowned, because maybe it was a friendly thing?

 

Wait, if they were on a date, would it even be a _friendly_ thing? He and Eren weren’t boyfriends, sure, but then where did that put them on the more than friends but less than lovers scale?

 

Maybe Levi was overthinking?

 

Eren looked at him in concern.

 

“Something wrong?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. He was almost finished with his food, and Levi exhaled softly once he realized that he had been staring into the distance.

 

“No.” He replied succinctly.

 

Eren looked at him, perhaps trying to determine what he was thinking.

 

“How’s the kebab?” Eren asked instead, smiling politely. Levi snorted.

 

“You want some, don’t you?”

 

“N-No! I’m just curious. But if you want some of this, uh, you can take a bite.”

 

“Hm... I’d rather... not...” Levi said, pausing. He didn’t want to eat anything Eren had been chomping on, because it probably had something gross on it. Like his saliva.

 

_But you want to kiss him, for fuck’s sake. It could just be an indirect kiss?_

Well, here came a sudden surge of bravery.

 

It wasn’t like it was going to fucking kill him.

 

“Actually, maybe I’d like to try some.” Levi said. Eren’s face brightened up, and he held the stick out to Levi. Well, apparently he took cleaner bites than Levi thought.

 

Levi carefully turned his head and took a bite.

 

Eren smiled down at him.

 

Squid meat in his mouth, butterflies in his stomach, neck bent at a weird angle, Eren beaming down at him...

 

_Why are you so fucking—_

Levi pulled away so quickly Eren almost dropped the stick. He covered his mouth and looked away as he chewed, forcing it down with a swallow.

 

Eren was looking at him expectantly, a hint of concern painting his brows.

 

“It’s good,” Levi grunted, face blank.

 

_Today I learned that I hate squid._

“So you like it! That’s wonderful,” Eren said, concern dissipating.

 

Levi shoved the rest of his food into his mouth.

 

“Uh, I’ll get us some water.” Eren suggested, patting Levi’s knee gently as he stood up.

 

Levi almost choked on the contact.

 

It was so _instinctive_ and _familiar_ , and he wanted to be able to touch Eren with such familiarity too.

 

Maybe kiss him.

 

Eren returned soon enough with two bottles of water. Levi took one gratefully, washing down another bad decision he’d made.

 

As soon as he finished he looked up to see that Eren had finished earlier, and was currently dumping his empty water bottle into a nearby trash can.

 

“So, what do you want to do?” Eren asked, taking his seat next to Levi. Levi shrugged, bringing the bottle down to his lap.

 

“I’m fine with anything you suggest.” He said.

 

Eren faced him, putting his arm over the back of the bench as well. He supported his head with his hand.

 

“I already decided what to do in the morning, so I think it’s only fair that you get to decide next.”

 

Levi blinked.

 

“Anything else you want to look at in this place?” he asked.

 

“I think we’ve finished most of it.”

 

Levi nodded.

 

“Good. Want to ditch this place for another?”

 

Eren laughed, although he didn’t seem offended.

 

“Yeah, I had a feeling you were sick of it.” He grinned at Levi. When did his face get so close? “Sorry about that.”

 

Levi shook his head.

 

“Nah, I enjoyed today.”

 

“You’re not just saying that to make me feel better?”

 

“I’d never go here alone, but coming here with you made it bearable.”

 

Eren smiled and smacked Levi on the knee gently.

 

“Now it’s your turn to pick. Next time can be your turn too.”

 

_Next time._

Levi bit the inside of his cheek.

 

“So this will be a regular thing.” He said. Eren nodded.

 

“If you want it to.”

 

Levi tapped Eren on the cheek.

 

“Of course I want it to.”

 

Judging from the grin on Eren’s face, he wanted it that way too.


	15. stereotypical teen movie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS SUCH AN AWKWARD CHAPTER BUT. um. in which there is a party, levi is lost, and eren follows him around like a puppy. part one of two. i hope u guys dont get too angry about this hahaha

Eren and Levi had another rooftop lunch date that week. Nothing special happened, if you didn’t count _Eren_ himself (okay, Levi was getting sappy, but it wasn’t as if anyone _knew_ , right?), the fact that Eren had leaned against Levi, and they had what was probably one of the most comfortable silences Levi had with him for a while.

       

More importantly was Eren’s big soccer match that Friday afternoon.

 

Their team was playing a home game against some other big school rival. It had a weird name.

 

Most of the school if not the entire student body was watching that afternoon. Levi was currently pressed between Hanji and Erwin in the bleachers. The cheering all around was loud and electric. As soon as the players entered the field, Hanji began to jump up and down to cheer for them.

 

Levi spotted Eren sitting down on the team bench after some stretching. Of course, considering he had only been recruited this year, he wouldn’t be playing in such a big game from the start.

 

Still, if there was an opening...

 

Even Erwin looked pumped beside Levi.

 

He leaned back and decided, for once, to enjoy the show.

 

 

 

 

 

Eren was called in to play halfway into the game.

 

“It’s Eren!” Hanji cheered beside Levi. The dark-haired senior huffed at his friend’s excitement.

 

“Yes, I can see that, Hanji.”

 

“I wonder if he can see you!”

 

Levi hoped that he could.

 

Eren had told him that he could judge him much better on the field, of course. It was Levi’s judgement that he was pretty good, just as Erwin had told him.

 

Even though he probably should have been paying more attention to the ball, Levi paid more attention to Eren.

 

He watched him jog around, scan the field, signal his teammates for an open, pass the ball around. He watched him pump his fist into the air as their goalkeeper caught the ball at the last second. He watched him stumble as he and an opponent dove for the ball at the same time. He watched him stand up.

 

The crowd was cheering behind, beside, and in front of Levi. Everywhere he looked he saw students jumping in glee or screaming or just holding up signs. Eren’s teammate kicked the ball but hit the goalpost. It bounced off and a groan was heard through the bleachers.

 

Levi was starting to get into the game as well.

 

He found himself groaning over a clumsy kick, growing excited as his teammates passed the ball to each other, each evading their opponents, and then suddenly Eren was there, right in the open, raising an arm...

 

The ball was thrown in Eren’s direction. An opponent scrambled for it, but Eren feigned a kick.

 

The ball shot out into the net.

 

The loudest cheer Levi had heard so far spread throughout the bleachers. Hanji was jumping up and down, Erwin was yelling something incomprehensible, and Levi found himself standing next to Hanji, his hands raised in the air.

 

Hanji hugged him, even though she was sweaty, and he let her with less fuss than usual.

 

Eren looked up and gave the crowd a wide grin. Two of his teammates patted his back. Someone ruffled his hair.

 

They continued the game.

 

Levi couldn’t have been prouder.

 

 

 

 

 

They won.

 

It was only natural to have a celebration.

 

After everyone went their separate ways, Levi had learned that Hanji and Erwin were invited over for the soccer match’s after party. This meant that Levi was invited over, too.

 

Usually he would never go, but then Eren was there...

 

Well, he could always just leave if things went badly.

 

The party was held at some clubhouse or pagoda or whatever. Erwin had driven Levi, Hanji, and another senior named Mike to the place. Levi wasn’t sure what he expected—he hadn’t been to a party since Hanji had convinced him to go once in junior year and he had gone home unimpressed.

 

Well, it wasn’t this.

 

The party was smaller than expected. It turned out that there was more than one party going on tonight, and the other more popular and wilder soccer team members had gone to the bigger one several miles away.

 

This party was small, had a table full of sodas, junk food, and alcohol that was mostly beer (Levi watched in amusement as a taller senior held it out of a tipsy sophomore’s reach, well, wasn’t that cute). He could live with that.

 

Erwin had disappeared with Mike somewhere out back. Levi was left with Hanji as she barrelled into the food table.

 

She piled a plate full with all kinds of sweets. Levi only frowned at her plate with disgust.

 

Hanji grinned at him innocently.

 

He turned away, wondering what there was to do.

 

“Levi!” a familiar voice called out. Levi turned his head and saw Eren approach. “You came!”

 

Hanji mumbled something that sounded like _“not yet”._ Levi shoved her hip and she giggled beside him. Eren stood in front of them and greeted her as well.

 

“Oh, Hanji, hi! Armin’s not here but I saw Moblit in the back if you were wondering...” He said, pointing to the garden where Erwin had wandered into a while ago. Hanji smiled at Eren as if he had given her the best news she’d ever heard.

 

“Really? Thanks, Eren! Keep Levi company, will you?” She waved a hand and ran off, balancing the plate in her hand.

 

Levi watched her go. He saw Eren step forward from the corner of his eye. He was grinning.

 

“I didn’t think parties were your thing,” Eren mused. He looked comfortable and cocky, but mostly pleasantly surprised. Maybe he was still high off the elation from winning.

 

“They’re usually boring,” Levi replied, resting his hip against the table. A junior grabbed a drink from beside him, and Levi walked away to a quieter spot. “Congrats on that kick.”

 

“Thanks,” Eren beamed.

 

Levi was glad that this clubhouse had some open air. It felt less... stifling, although now Eren was here, and he had no idea what to say, because he didn’t _do_ parties.

 

“Do you want to dance?” Eren asked, his hands shoved into his pockets. Levi spared a glance at the dance floor several feet away. The dj was only starting up the music, but several people were already crowding together. The lights began to dim.

 

“I don’t dance.” Levi replied bluntly. Eren laughed.

 

“It’s easy! You just do whatever you feel like. What matters is that you’re having fun.”

 

“I’d rather not get crushed by sweaty teenagers, thanks,”

 

“Aw.” Eren almost pouted, but he didn’t look upset. “All right.”

 

Levi’s eyes flickered to the garden. Not the side where Hanji and Erwin had disappeared to, but the other one. It wasn’t completely empty, considering he could see some people milling around in conversation, but it was quieter.

 

“Maybe I’ll go to the garden,” Levi said, watching Eren’s reaction. If the boy wanted to go away and do his own thing, he wouldn’t stop him...

 

Eren perked up.

 

“Mind if I follow you?”

 

Levi resisted the urge to smile.

 

“No. Go ahead.”

 

They made their way out into the garden. It was evening, and someone laughed loudly behind them. Levi settled into what he deemed was a decent spot. He sat on a bench and crossed an ankle over his knee.

 

Eren sat down next to him.

 

“Where are your other friends?” Levi asked. He should’ve gotten a drink or something, just to keep his hands occupied. He didn’t understand why Eren was here with him when he was boring as hell during parties. Not to mention rude. Shouldn’t Eren be celebrating his win with friends and loud music and irresponsible drinking? Or something?

 

“Maybe dancing, maybe drinking, maybe just talking,” Eren replied, leaning forward. “Believe it or not, I’m not that much of a party person either.”

 

That confession made Levi raise a brow.

 

“I always thought you were.”

 

Eren laughed. “Yeah, I love dancing and hanging out with people, but until I got into the soccer team I wasn’t cool enough to be invited to anything. Also, I would tend to get into fights, so I tried to stop going for a while.”

 

“Fights?”

 

“Over stupid things.”

 

Levi nodded.

 

“You know how Reiner’s hosting the bigger party up north?”

 

Levi didn’t know that, but he nodded anyway. Eren continued.

 

“I got kicked out of his last party a month ago. It’s kind of why I went to this one...” He trailed off with a laugh, a hand rubbing the back of his neck.

 

“What? Did you almost kill someone?” Levi joked, voice drab.

 

“Nah. Reiner’s my friend, so he didn’t mind too much, but a bunch of other people got pissed off at me and insisted that he kick me out. I guess it was my fault.”

 

“You won’t cause any trouble here, will you?” Levi joked again. Eren caught his eye and grinned at him. From that angle, it looked mischievous.

 

“I’ll try not to,” he replied, voice light. Levi scoffed.

 

“Then I’ll make sure you don’t.”

 

“Ooh, scary.”

 

Levi gave him a mock glare. Eren laughed again.

 

Someone shrieked across the garden.

 

Dance music began to slowly blare from inside the clubhouse. Strobe lights illuminated the grass. Levi sighed. The music was slightly muffled, but it was still loud.

 

Eren’s knee bumped against Levi’s.

 

“What do people even do at parties?” Levi asked, trying very hard to ignore the fact that Eren was suddenly sitting closer to him now, holy shit.

 

“Really really weird stuff.” Eren replied.

 

“Mind showing me?” Levi asked. Eren blinked at him in surprise, but then a second later he was grinning wide.

 

Levi hoped he wouldn’t regret this.

 

Eren stood up and tugged Levi’s hand.

 

“C’mon.”

 

They both stood up and Levi allowed Eren to lead him to the more occupied side of the garden. Levi grimaced as they passed a couple indiscreetly making out under a tree.

 

Eren stopped and released Levi’s hand. In front of them was a group of students, made up of both juniors and seniors. They were currently kicking an orange around with their feet, knees and ankles.

 

There was a paper plate with money on the ground.

 

Eren began to walk forward.

 

Levi did not have any idea who any of these people were.

 

He grabbed Eren’s wrist to stop him. One of the students kicking the orange produced a tennis ball from his pocket. _What the fuck? Why the fuck?_

“Maybe I’ll go... get a drink...” Levi said lamely. Eren looked elated. He followed him into the clubhouse, the weirdo orange cult forgotten.

 

The music was still ridiculously loud, and Levi steered very clear of the dancing crowd.

 

Eren practically skipped.

 

Levi grabbed a beer because, well, he was already here, wasn’t he? And besides, if he drank enough, then maybe he’d have the willpower to get through the night.

 

Why was Eren still with him anyway? Why did he look so _happy?_ All Levi wanted now was to go home, but Erwin was his ride and he didn’t feel like waiting for the blonde until the late, late hours of the evening.

 

He carefully avoided Eren’s eyes. Maybe Eren would get bored of him and go away... And he’d feel less guilty for leaving.

 

Eren patiently waited for Levi to finish taking a few more sips.

 

“Want to head back to the garden?” Eren asked. Levi shrugged. What else was there to do anyway?

 

“Sure. Why the fuck not.”

 

Eren laughed, tugging him along.

 

They arrived back into the garden. Levi tried not to spill his drink as Eren practically barrelled across the grass. The group of students playing some stupid game with an orange had a _baseball bat_ now, what the hell.

 

“Um, Levi—“

 

Levi turned his head as Eren called him.

 

A dull pain shot through the back of his head.

 

Everything went dark.

 

 

 

 

 

Levi woke up slowly, blinking away spots from his vision. It took him a moment, but soon enough he was reoriented. He was back in the quieter side of the garden, and something cold was held against his head.

 

He looked up. Met Eren’s wide and concerned eyes. The sophomore was holding an ice pack to the back of his head. He blinked up blearily.

 

“Um.” Levi said.

 

“Oh, good, you’re finally awake!” Eren said, smiling. “Got any memory loss? That was a pretty hard hit you took there.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Someone hit the baseball with a bat and it went in the wrong direction... It hit you and you blacked out.”

 

Eren’s lips were pursed in concern. Levi’s heart began to race. He couldn’t remember much, but judging from the weird angle... and the softness under his head... He was in Eren’s lap?!

 

Levi tried not to blush.

 

This was so fucking cliché.

 

Eren was biting his lip, half in worry and half in anger. The anger wasn’t directed at Levi. He took a moment to calm himself.

 

“So, Levi, what day is it today?” Eren asked cheerily. Levi mumbled his reply.

 

“Oh, nice, so you haven’t forgotten anything. Does your head still hurt?”

 

Levi carefully pushed the ice pack away. “I’m fine.”

 

“You sure?”

 

“Yeah,” he mumbled. “Thanks for... this.”

 

Eren beamed at him. Well, cliché as it was, Levi still wanted to kiss him badly. He swallowed.

 

“No, no, it was my fault,” Eren said. “I distracted you. I was the one who brought you out back. I don’t know, I thought you could beat them and have fun and even earn some money, because those idiots suck at sports in general and we could show off a bit, but, uh, instead you took a hit and that was really dangerous and—“

 

“Eren,” Levi said, sitting up. He scooted closer. _Fuck this._ He placed a hand on Eren’s, trying to soothe the sophomore’s grip on the ice pack. “Shut up.”

 

Eren shut his mouth, green eyes mesmerizing even in the darkness.

 

Levi leaned forward and pressed their lips together.

 

For an entire moment Eren was still, but right when Levi was about to pull back the sophomore laced their hands together and pulled him even _closer_ with his other hand, the ice pack dropped to the ground.

 

Eren kissed him back, mouth melting against Levi’s. Levi felt his fingers brush against his hair. He pushed Eren against the bench and kissed him deeply, smirking into Eren’s mouth as he felt him shiver beneath him.

 

His free hand curled against the side of Eren’s jaw. There was something Eren did with his tongue that felt so _nice_ it made Levi grip his hips, and he was suddenly so very glad for coming to this party.

 

_I’m kissing Eren Jaeger. I am finally kissing Eren Jaeger. We’re making out and it’s amazing._

Eren practically purred as Levi nipped at his jaw, and then at his neck, and then at his throat. He couldn’t believe that Eren, beautiful Eren, was in his arms like this.

 

Someone whistled behind them.

 

He wanted to give them the finger but just pulled Eren in for another kiss instead.

 

“Levi!”

 

“Oh shit!”

 

Levi opened his eyes.

 

He was lying with his back against the wet grass. His eyes were wide for a moment, and sure enough, Eren was hovering above him. There was an unfamiliar guy next to him as well. Both of them were nervous, but Eren’s gaze was also filled with concern.

 

Levi sat up.

 

“Are you okay?” Eren asked, kneeling down.

 

“I’m so so so sorry, man,” the stranger beside Eren said. He grimaced and shook his head, panicked. There was a bat in his hands, Levi realized. “I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

 

“Um.” Levi said.

 

“You blacked out for a few seconds.” Eren told him. “Does your head hurt? Maybe we should get you some ice...”

 

So he blacked out, huh?

 

So he never kissed Eren at all? That was just his imagination?

 

Levi wanted to bury his face in his hands.

 

Someone handed him a glass of water. After insisting that he was okay and no, there was no bump on his head, although his drink had spilled all over the grass and rolled away somewhere, the sheepish stranger with a baseball bat finally left, but not without another heartfelt apology.

 

Levi finally stood up, Eren gripping his forearm.

 

He sighed, trying not to look into Eren’s wide eyes. It was difficult, and it made him feel somewhat guilty.

 

“Should I call Hanji?” Eren asked again as he led Levi away from the scene.

 

Levi shook his head. “Nah, my head’s hard as a rock. I’ll be fine, Eren.”

 

“That was scary.”

 

Levi patted him gently on the wrist. “I’m still alive and brain damage free.”

 

Eren bit his lip nervously. “You sure you don’t feel dizzy or anything?”

 

“I feel _normal._ ”

 

“...Are you never attending a party ever again?”

 

Levi snorted an ugly laugh. He couldn’t help it. Eren looked so worried, so nervous, so concerned. And then maybe he was trying to lighten up the mood, or maybe he was serious. Perhaps Levi _did_ have brain damage. Whatever.

 

He patted Eren’s head gently.

 

“That thought never even crossed my mind. Although now I’m thinking of ditching this party for some real food.”

 

Eren perked up.

 

“There’s a Pizza Hut nearby.” He said. With an awkward shrug of feigned nonchalance, Eren added, “You going there alone?”

 

It was a stupid question, but Levi smirked.

 

“Do you want to join me?”

 

“...Only if you want me to. I’m... hungry too.”

 

Levi almost grinned. His lips twitched upwards slightly.

 

“Well, hurry up. Those lights are giving me a headache.”

 

Eren grinned at him and they made their way out of the party.

 

Levi could always just take a cab home, anyway.


	16. u stole a pizza my heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **hey, guys! some important news:** i've finished writing this fic and have determined that it will have 19 chapters. however, i might be turning this into a series with sequels that are basically oneshots set after this fic. so if any of you are interested, i suggest you subscribe to the series bc any sequels will be very sporadic. now, onwards to part 2!

The Pizza Hut was empty at this time of the night. Eren and Levi sat in a booth by the large glass windows. There was a father and a son eating pizza three tables away. The girl at the cashier looked bored as hell.

 

Eren was currently stuffing his face.

 

“You know,” Levi said. “I’m starting to wonder if you even have a gag reflex.”

 

Eren looked at him, a question in his eyes. He continued chewing.

 

“I think there are better, more pleasurable ways to test it,” the senior finished with a dark glint in his eye.

 

For a moment Eren only stared at him blankly, but then _some_ kind of comprehension dawned on him. His cheeks flushed red all at once, and then he started coughing.

 

Levi calmly slid him a glass of water.

 

It was emptied in five seconds.

 

“I can’t believe you just tried to kill me!” Eren exclaimed. Levi rolled his eyes. He was glad that the sophomore was taking it in stride, at least.

 

“Eren Jaeger. Died 2015. Killed by Pizza Hut, sex jokes, and his own inability to chew food. He will be missed. Rest in pizza.” Levi declared in monotone.

 

Eren was chuckling silently. He smacked the senior on the arm lightly.

 

“You’re not allowed to make me laugh anymore.”

 

“Punks don’t care about rules. Fuck the police.” Levi continued, voice blank as ever.

 

The father sitting several tables away shot them a glare. Eren mouthed an apology and Levi shrugged. It wasn’t like the kid even heard them...

 

“Maybe we _should_ check you for brain damage...” Eren said, taking another slice of pizza.

 

“Maybe you could check something else about me out.”

 

“Hmm... How about your dazzling personality?”

 

“Is that why you can’t resist me?”

 

“It could also be the free pizza...” Eren winked at him.

 

Eren just winked at him.

 

They were used to joking around with each other and all that, but Eren winking at him? Levi still couldn’t take that without freezing up, because wow it kind of looked hot, especially with his hair all mussed up and his tight shirt.

 

_What the fuck is wrong with you and your hormones._

**_Eren is just perfect, let’s leave it at that._ **

****

_Or maybe you’re just whipped._

Levi cleared his throat and shoved him on the shoulder. Eren almost fell over and laughed, the pizza almost slipping out of his fingers. He caught it, though, and carefully bit off a small piece of the slice.

 

There was a flash of tongue.

 

_Maybe I’m drunk. Maybe I’m a lightweight. Maybe I’m still hallucinating._

**_This is not the time, Levi._ **

****

_When is it ever, huh?_

Levi sighed and hung his arm over the back of his chair.

 

“Here, take the rest of that. I’m full,” he told Eren. The sophomore tilted his head at him.

 

“Huh? Are you sure? We ordered a lot, you know...”

 

“You’ll inhale it all anyway.”

 

“You paid for it, so you should be eating more of it, Levi.”

 

“I’m not hungry anymore. But you probably are, so let’s not put it to waste.”

 

Eren looked up at him with wide eyes. It reminded Levi of a puppy ready to cry. He didn’t know what to say.

 

“Thanks, Levi,” Eren said seriously. “You’re the best.”

 

He did devour the rest of it.

 

_Where the fuck does all that pizza go._

**_Whatever, at least he’s happy._ **

****

Maybe one day Eren could love him more than he loved pizza.

 

Wait, where did that thought come from?

 

_I am so done._

Eventually, they did finish, and this meant that they had to leave.

 

They were currently on the sidewalk, standing at a nearby bus stop. Eren was leaning against a telephone pole, his cheek pressed against the cool metal.

 

“I am soooo full,” he groaned.

 

“You ate enough to feed a family of four.”

 

“If it serves four, then it can be served all _four_ me,” Eren joked. Levi scoffed beside him.

 

“ _Cheesy._ Try again.”

 

“Wow, Levi, I think that one was way worse.”

 

“Hm.”

 

They were both silent. The lamplights were dim above their heads, and even while cars passed by there was no bus. If they walked a few streets down, they could return to the party.

 

Eren crushed an empty candy wrapper underneath his shoe.

 

“You don’t have to wait for me to get home, you know,” Levi spoke up. “If you want to go back to the party... or anything... you don’t have to always accompany me everywhere.”

 

Eren shrugged. His smile underneath the yellow glow of the streetlamps was comforting, kind of like the familiar scent of Levi’s favorite tea.

 

His smile was familiar too.

 

How had they gone from awkward and aggressive to lighthearted and serene in a few short months?

 

“I’m here because I want to be.” Eren said. “I know you’re not forcing me into anything, Levi. Come on.”

 

Levi honestly didn’t think his company was that entertaining, but if Eren thought so then...

 

He suddenly wanted to bury his face in Eren’s chest.

 

The idea was enough to surprise him. Levi’s cheeks burned a faint pink. Eren didn’t seem to notice.

 

Levi had repeatedly told himself that he was fine with this. If Eren ever decided that he liked him, then he could wait for the younger boy to reach out to him. He’d already told Levi that he didn’t want anything serious, anyway. As long as he was having fun, he would be happy.

 

The moment Levi decided he wanted something serious, would Eren leave?

 

The idea made Levi’s mouth dry. He swallowed, but the nervousness stayed in his throat.

 

There was so much he wanted. And there was so much he didn’t deserve.

 

He glanced at Eren and saw the boy’s eyes flutter shut for a moment. He yawned.

 

It was cute. It really was.

 

“Fuck the bus,” Levi declared. Eren looked at him, sleepy eyes watering at the edges. “Let’s split a cab.”

 

“Okay.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

As soon as they made their way into a taxi, Levi rattled off their addresses to the driver, first Eren’s and then his.

 

He scooted over to the side as Eren stumbled inside the backseat next to him. The boy tripped over the sidewalk or something, and he almost flew into Levi’s lap.

 

Eren’s arms flew in front of his face. His right hand groped thin air. His left hand curled around the inside of Levi’s thigh.

 

Levi tensed up.

 

“You all right in there?” their driver asked, turning his head. Eren laughed awkwardly and righted himself. He released Levi’s leg and slammed the door shut.

 

“Yeah, yeah, sorry,” he scratched the back of his head. The driver nodded and turned his gaze back to the road.

 

Levi was frozen stiff next to him.

 

Eren was surprisingly close. He chose to sit in the middle of the backseat, and his knee would jerk against Levi's every now and then.

 

“Sorry, Levi,” Eren apologized, turning to him. “Did that hurt?”

 

Levi swallowed.

 

It was surprising and very much inappropriate considering they were in the backseat of a cab, but at another more private setting (and with more warning) Levi decided that he could have probably enjoyed that touch (grope, it was a firm grope, honestly). Maybe if it was complete with Eren's shy eyes and not a death grip that threatened to cut the blood circulation of Levi's thigh...  _Wait, where are you getting with this?_

 

“No. I’m fine,” he replied smoothly, willing his voice not to crack with embarrassment. Eren nodded, muttering something that sounded like “Good, good, god I’m such an idiot...”

 

 _We’re both idiots,_ Levi thought.

 

The drive was silent for the first few minutes. The radio was blasting a late night talk show, and the female host’s voice was getting on Levi’s nerves.

 

Their driver switched the station. Pop music began to blare through the car.

 

Eren shot up, now wide awake.

 

He started humming along to the song.

 

“You’re such a dork,” Levi said to him. Eren only shot him a grin before continuing to mouth the lyrics in what wasn’t that bad of an attempt at a lip synch.

 

Well, Levi had to admit, he was good. And it was hilarious.

 

Eren’s expressions were so vibrant, so over the top. He placed his hand over his chest, closed his eyes, and dramatically made a pained grimace as a particularly high note dragged on.

 

Levi stifled a chuckle.

 

The song ended. A male voice crooned out of the speakers in low, soothing tones. There was a low chuckle, and then the first few notes of another pop song started playing. Eren was practically buzzing in his seat.

 

“I don’t want to go home yet,” Eren mumbled to himself quietly. They paused in front of a red stoplight.

 

Eren’s hand was right there on the seats, in between him and Levi. Levi wanted to reach out and squeeze it, just to see how it would feel like. He just wanted to know if it would be as comforting as books and television and other people and his own mind made it out to be. If he couldn’t kiss Eren or stroke his hair or bite into the space connecting his shoulder and his neck, then holding hands would be the next best thing, right?

 

His fingers twitched.

 

Levi bumped his knuckles against the side of Eren’s hand instead.

 

The taxi moved forward.

 

“I don’t want to go home yet either,” Levi replied, too quiet to be heard.

 

Eren hummed next to him, stopping another yawn.

 

His fingers brushed against Levi’s in the darkness. A new song started to play. It was some ballad Levi had never heard of, but the voice was familiar.

 

Eren linked their fingers together. He rubbed circles with his thumb on Levi’s palm. It was very soothing, and together with the soft music and the darkness, Levi could feel himself starting to drift off into sleep.

 

They were silent, and Levi’s eyes shut in exhaustion.

 

 

 

 

 

Levi woke to Eren mumbling something in his hair. He blinked and looked up blearily, finding Eren’s face way too close. When had they gotten that close? If his brain wasn't still fried from that nap he might have even been shocked by the view, but he wasn't. He felt... hazy. And safe. And the side of his face was starting to hurt.

 

He rubbed his eyes and sat up, removing his head from Eren’s shoulder. So he’d fallen asleep on him, huh? Eren was only smiling at him fondly as the cab slowly went to a stop in front of the brunette's house.

 

“Hey there, Levi,” Eren whispered. Levi was still tired and his mouth was gritty with sleep, but he was lucid enough to be more aware of his surroundings now. Eren was staring at him tenderly, bright eyes half-glazed, as if deep in thought. He leaned forward, and then paused, a pale pink starting to coat his cheeks.

 

Levi was confused, but he was tired, and whatever Eren's motive was didn't register at all. The taller boy blinked and quickly looked away. His hand curled into a fist and grazed Levi's knee, but it was only for a second.

 

Eren handed a bill to their driver. He opened the door and turned his head back to the dark-haired teenager before getting out.

 

“Bye, Levi. Thanks for tonight. And the pizza. I had fun,” he gave him another wide grin. Eren stepped out of the cab and shut the door. He made it halfway past his driveway before waving goodbye again.

 

The cab pulled out of their street.

 

Levi leaned back against his seat and sighed, running a hand through his hair.

 

_I just fell asleep on Eren’s shoulder._

He buried his face in his hands and tried not to yelp. Levi began to shake, heat flooding his cheeks in embarrassment. And he’d been too sleepy to even notice until it was too late!

 

And the way Eren was looking at him... was that just a trick of the darkness or the streetlamps? Did he really lean forward? Was he about to... kiss him?

 

No, no, that was impossible.

 

Levi blew some air out of his noise roughly.

 

Still, there was something that flashed in Eren’s eyes as he leaned in close. They were much brighter, much more beautiful. That was given. Levi noticed that they weren’t just green, but rather some kind of green-blue-yellow-gray that reminded him of trees and the ocean.

 

For one moment, Eren was looking at him like he was... admirable? Was that it?

 

No. It was more.

 

His phone buzzed in his pocket.

 

Levi calmed himself down and carefully brought it out. The screen lit up and he scowled.

 

_Erwin: Levi, where are you?_

Oh yeah, about that...

 

_Hanji: heard u left w/ eren ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_

_Hanji: b careful & tell me wen u get home!!_

Levi grimaced.

 

He replied to Erwin first.

 

_Erwin: Hanji said you left with Eren._

_Levi: Just dropped him off. We split a cab. I’m going home._

_Erwin: I see._

Of course Erwin didn’t expect him to stay that long in the party, anyway. He probably invited Levi over knowing that Eren would keep him busy, that conniving dick.

 

_Oh, Hanji, if only I was getting as lucky as you always seem to think I am..._

_Levi: Just dropped him off by cab. I’m going home._

_Hanji: ohoho, but did u get off? Or r u just going to?_

Levi pointedly ignored her bad sex jokes.

 

_Levi: I’m going home. I don’t understand how your mind works at all._

_Hanji: aww its ok levi bb. U get him next time!!_

He sighed. Was it really warm in this cab or was that just him?


	17. beach babes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did anyone ask for more sexually & romantically frustrated teen levi because this is all that this is

The weekend went by in a blur.

 

There was one lazy hour that Saturday that Levi spent lounging around on his bed, thinking about nothing at all, but then he remembered that Friday evening in the cab, with Eren’s face much too close. What was that?

 

He could remember almost everything in detail. Of course now he was no longer drowsy from sleep in the backseat of a cab. Now he could turn everything that happened over in his head... Eren hanging around him during the party, that pizza (date—cough) dinner, standing in comfortable silence in the bus stop, joking around in the back of the cab, Eren warm and so close next to him and...

                     

No, no, no.

 

Whatever that was, right before Eren said goodbye, definitely _was not_ an attempt at a kiss. Why would it be? Levi wanted to kiss Eren, but the opposite wasn’t true. It definitely wasn’t, right? It was just Levi’s imagination...

 

He buried his face in his hands.

 

Maybe it was best if he just... didn’t think about it for a while. Not until he’d stop making so many assumptions.

 

It wasn’t good to keep up that wishful thinking.

 

 

 

 

 

The next week was absurdly normal. Levi attended class, hung around with Hanji and Erwin, grew irritated with his pile of schoolwork, practiced judo, talked to Eren every now and then, and even bumped into him twice—first in the cafeteria and then in front of a classroom.

 

Levi was pleased with the normalcy, of course, but Eren didn’t treat him any differently, which only made him forget any assumptions he had about what happened Friday evening. And by forget he meant forcefully bury it deep into the back of his mind.

 

Well, until Eren sent a text sometime during class. It was a Wednesday, and Levi was bored to death in algebra.

 

_Eren: we shud go 2 the beach this friday_

_Levi: It’s one hour away._

_Eren: i can get a car_

Levi snorted, wondering who he’d borrow it from.

 

_Levi: Are you even old enough to have a license?_

_Eren: dont u hav 1?_

_Levi: You little shit._

Maybe it was because he was bored as hell, or maybe it was because everything Eren did was so ridiculously endearing (didn’t he love the ocean? Wasn’t it sweet how he shared something like this with Levi? No, wait, don’t think about that—), but Levi decided that the idea wasn’t too bad.

 

As long as he didn’t get sand everywhere it would be fine. Besides, the beach would probably be empty on a late Friday afternoon.

 

_Levi: I’ll pick you up after class. And I’m using my car._

_Eren: yay!! :D_

_What did I just get myself into?_

Great, now he probably wouldn’t be able to concentrate.

 

It wasn’t as if he could concentrate before anyway.

 

 

 

 

 

Friday came sooner than Levi expected.

 

They both tried to leave as early as possible as soon as they were dismissed from class, so hopefully they’d arrive on the beach before the sun set. Levi figured it would be a beautiful sight, and he decided that he’d brave the gross conditions to see it. With Eren. _Cough._

 

Eren barrelled into the front seat of Levi’s car. He tossed his bags into the backseat, right next to where Levi’s stuff was. The senior glared at him, and Eren withered slightly. He scratched the back of his head and reached backwards to fix them properly.

 

“Sorry, Levi...”

 

Levi ruffled his hair, accepting his apology (and his organization).

 

They zoomed out of the school grounds and Eren rolled down a window.

 

“We’re not even on the highway yet,” Levi said flatly.

 

Eren looked like an excited dog. The dark-haired senior tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, wondering if he’d have to pull him in when they would eventually speed up. Hopefully Eren wasn’t that big of an idiot and wouldn’t stick his head out or anything.

 

“But I’m so excited!” Eren exclaimed. He pumped his fist into the air and grinned, teeth bared. How did he have so much energy all the time? “C’mon, we should put on some music.”

 

He moved to change the station. Some instrumental music was currently playing. Levi swatted his hand.

 

“I’m driving so I get to choose the music,” he replied smoothly. Eren frowned at him.

 

“But we’re on a roadtrip _._ We need speeding-ticket worthy, action film soundtrack highway music!” Eren replied.

 

“We’re not even on the highway yet.”

 

“But we’re close, aren’t we?”

 

Levi glared at the stoplight they passed. It just turned red. “Not even.”

 

Barely a minute of silence had passed until Eren spoke up again.

 

“Why are there so many people on the road?” He groaned.

 

“It’s a Friday.” Levi reminded him.

 

“They’re ruining the date,” Eren grumbled under his breath, but Levi heard him. He froze up and almost drove them onto the sidewalk. Eren didn’t seem to notice, too caught up staring outside his window.

 

_D-date?_

Levi swallowed and tried very hard not to look at the one sitting next to him.

 

So, this was a date, was it?

 

 

 

 

 

They finally made it onto the highway. Levi rolled up Eren’s window, right when the wind was starting to pick up.

 

He relaxed slightly. Eren was quiet for once. The senior carefully reached for the car stereo and pressed a button.

 

Eren flinched, slamming into the door as rock music blasted through the speakers, mid-song.

 

Levi chuckled, not even bothering to hide his amusement. Eren’s eyes were wide, and he glared at the teenager sitting next to him. He sat back against his seat and watched Levi turn down the volume.

 

“Is that highway music worthy enough?” Levi asked him calmly, his voice only subtly rising in amusement. Eren huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

 

“Not bad.” Eren paused. “For an emo punk.”

 

Levi smacked him on the shoulder.

 

“Shut up and put your seatbelt on, you filthy prep.”

 

Eren put his seatbelt on with great difficulty. It was hard enough to do when he was wheezing with laughter. Okay, maybe he was slightly insulted, but Levi was pretty good at making him laugh, wasn’t he?

 

The thought made Levi feel smug.

 

“I’m... not... a prep,” Eren wheezed out in between laughs. Levi hummed.

 

“Oh, and I was hoping we could be star-crossed lovers. You just flushed my dreams down the toilet like this morning’s shit,” Levi said flatly.

 

Eren burst out laughing again.

 

This was going well already. The corner of Levi’s mouth turned upwards subtly. He could feel himself relaxing against the car seat. Eren’s laugh was already improving his mood...

 

Maybe the beach wouldn’t be so bad.

 

 

 

 

 

Levi was wrong.

 

The beach was horrible.

 

They arrived in the late afternoon, and while the sun was still up it was going to set in an hour or two. It was no longer hot and there was _something_ resembling a sea breeze, but it was suddenly humid as hell.

 

Levi sighed. Eren ran out of the car and onto the sand. There were three people sitting on a beach towel in the distance, surrounded by what looked like beer bottles. Clumps of seaweed, broken corals and a piece of trash or two were washed up on shore. Still, Eren didn’t mind. He removed his shoes and socks, rolled up his pant legs, and ran into the water, whooping.

 

Levi carefully walked over to a relatively clean spot on the sand and spread a blanket over the ground. He removed his own shoes and socks and sat on it, spreading his legs. Eren was still jumping around in the water.

 

“Levi! Come over here! The water’s really nice!” Eren waved at him, and Levi shook his head. Really, the idiot was still dressed...

 

The waves were starting to roll forward. A particularly strong one caused Eren to lose his balance until he fell on his knees, the water washing over his torso. He scrambled onto the shore with an unsteady laugh, and the sight made Levi’s chest clench in fondness.

 

Eren stopped in front of him, grinning.

 

“What?” Levi asked, tilting his head to the side. Without a word, Eren wiped some wet hair away from his face and peeled his shirt from his torso, throwing it onto the edge of the blanket.

 

Levi’s mind went blank.

 

Eren was standing in front of him. Shirtless. He was grinning giddily, his eyes bright and focused on Levi’s own. His hair and trousers were damp. The sun was shining on his tanned skin, making him look like some sort of angel—

 

_Bad thoughts, Levi._

“Come on,” Eren was saying, holding a hand towards him. Levi took it and Eren helped him stand up. He was embarrassed at having been caught staring (though did Eren even notice?) and looked to the ocean behind him.

 

“The water’s not that cold,” Eren said.

 

“It’s fine. I’ll just... sit here...” And admire the view, Levi wanted to add.

 

All of a sudden Eren’s arms were around him, and Levi whipped his head towards the laughing sophomore. What was happening? Eren gave a muffled laugh as he scooped Levi up and tried to... carry him? Bridal style?!

 

“Put me down!” Levi snapped. He sounded more scared than scary, and Eren laughed, though he was struggling. The sophomore finally managed to lift Levi somewhat off the ground (Levi’s heart _did not_ skip a beat at that, no way) and he teetered backwards with unsure steps.

 

“Eren!”

 

Eren opened his mouth to say something, but his arms were shaking, and he fell backwards with Levi in his grip. The two of them toppled into the sand with an _“ow!”_ and an _“ugh!”_.

 

It only took a moment before Levi got up unsteadily, dusting the sand off his clothes. It was impossible to get all of it out, and suddenly Eren was laughing again right next to him.

 

“Sorry, let me try again...” he said. Levi stepped back and put a hand on his chest.

 

“No, Eren, you can’t carry me, and I’ll kill you again if you try—“

 

Eren’s arms were around Levi’s torso this time, and Levi’s pulse started to race. He could only feel panic (and comfort, and it really did feel _nice_ , as if he could stay there forever) with Eren’s arms around his hips and his face almost buried into Eren’s chest, but all of a sudden the sophomore’s hands _slipped_ and brushed against his butt.

 

Levi looked up at him and narrowed his eyes. Eren retracted his hands with a squeak, and the loss of touch only irritated Levi.

 

The brown-haired sophomore turned around and began to run towards the water. Levi followed him, almost slipping on the sand. They made their way a few feet into the ocean before another wave caught Eren’s ankles and sent him toppling over. Again.

 

Levi stepped backwards and avoided him. Water splashed and flew into his face, and he wrinkled his nose. Levi belatedly began to roll up his pant legs. He was mostly soaked now, but he might as well...

 

Eren stood up, spitting water out of his mouth.

 

Something brushed against Levi’s ankle and he yelped.

 

He turned around and kicked it away, confused and mildly alarmed when it began to wrap around his foot. With a disgusted grunt he stepped backwards. Eren was laughing at him, so he glared.

 

“That’s seaweed,” Eren giggled. Levi lifted his leg and pulled the plant off his foot quickly, throwing it back into the ocean soon after.

 

“It's fucking disgusting,” the dark-haired senior mumbled. Before Eren could reply, another wave crashed into them, and even Levi was swept up into the water this time. He crashed onto his elbows in the wet sand, Eren disappearing underwater behind him.

 

They both emerged from the water at the same time, spluttering and coughing. Levi grimaced and walked backwards until the water was only up until his shin. His hair was wet and plastered to his face. A breeze came in and he shivered, realizing that he was soaked and dripping water. His clothes were uncomfortably stuck to his skin, and he was glad that he had enough foresight to leave his phone, wallet and car keys back on dry land.

 

Eren approached him. As he was coming closer Levi looked up, and, well, couldn’t resist gaping. Saltwater slid down his shoulders and chest, glimmering in the sunlight. It was like the cover of one of those raunchy romance novels that Erwin secretly liked.

 

_Don’t look at his chest. Don’t look at his arms. Don’t look at his stomach. Hell, don’t look at his muscles at all._

Of course Eren’s concerned eyes weren’t helping either.

 

“You okay, Levi?” he asked, stepping closer. Levi was shivering, but he nodded and rubbed his arms. Eren looked down at him, but then quickly looked back up and met his eyes.

 

Eren was... blushing?

 

He reached up to rub the back of his neck and Levi pointedly ignored the way his muscles moved, well-defined across—

 

_Shut the fuck up oh my god._

Levi sunk down into the water quickly, kneeling until over half of his body was submerged.

 

“Uh, Levi?” Eren asked, towering over him.

 

_If you pop a boner, you’re going to have to drown yourself in this filthy beach._

Levi made a noncommittal noise.

 

“If you’re cold we could head back to the beach and dry off...” Eren suggested, holding out a hand. Levi spared it a glance before standing up on his own and pushing his wet hair back.

 

Eren was staring at him openly again.

 

_Is there seaweed stuck on my clothes or something?_

Levi looked down and found that no, he was all right. Just wet and drenched and probably looked like a drowned rat. He swallowed and quickly stalked off towards the sand, the sounds of Eren splashing in the water steadily behind him.

 

 

 

 

 

They ended up taking turns changing into dry clothes behind the safety of the car. Levi definitely wasn’t lounging around in soggy clothes, and he wasn’t allowing Eren to as well, no matter how good he looked in them. If they got sick, he’d whack Eren on the head.

 

Currently, they sat on the blanket Levi had originally put out on the sand. The sun was finally setting. It painted the sky in swatches of red, violet and orange as it disappeared into the horizon. Levi leaned against Eren as he watched the waves grow bigger and bigger as night approached.

 

Eren gave a small contented sigh beside him. It was very cliché and Levi would kill anyone who recognized them here, but he also really enjoyed it. The entire thing made happiness bubble up in his stomach.

 

He really wanted to do this more often. He could never say that out loud, of course, but he could dream about it...

 

“Don’t you love the ocean?” Eren mumbled softly. Levi breathed quietly, his cheek pressed against the taller boy’s shoulder.

 

“Not on a normal day,” Levi replied. “But with the right people, it’s not that bad.”

 

Eren leaned against him until the side of his face was pressed against the top of Levi’s head. Levi snorted at the movement, and Eren chuckled.

 

“Your hair tickles, you know,” the younger boy said.

 

“Try not to break my neck, will you?”

 

Eren pulled his head away and looked at Levi, whose voice was muffled by his shoulder. Eren smiled at him.

 

“Oh, I wouldn’t. You still need to drive me back home.”

 

Levi pulled away and shoved him to the side. Eren fell away and laughed, elbowing Levi gently in the ribs. The senior leaned towards him and pulled him up by the back of his shirt.

 

“Though I could just steal your keys...” Eren continued.

 

“You’ll never find them.”

 

“Aren’t they in your pocket?” Eren asked innocently, snaking a hand into Levi’s sides. Levi kicked the taller boy's legs but Eren only laughed and found Levi’s pockets, slipping his hands inside.

 

“Oh. They’re empty.” Eren mumbled.

 

“Of course they are.” Levi wanted to headbutt him, just so Eren would keep his hands to himself, but then they were quiet and he grew aware of just how close they were, and how ridiculous their position was.

 

Eren was bent over, leaning down on his elbows as his hands were stuck into Levi’s pockets. His legs were stretched out to the side, and his shin would be in the path of a perfect kick, but...

 

But his face was much too close, and his eyes were vibrant and happy under the candy-colored sky, and he was close enough that Levi could kiss him without much effort.

 

Levi entertained the idea for a bit, unconsciously lifting his head to test how he could slot their mouths together...

 

Then Eren was opening his mouth to speak even though no noise came out, and the spell broke, and Levi’s eyes widened. He looked down and grabbed Eren’s wrists, yanking them away.

 

But he continued to grip Eren’s wrists, not wanting to let go.

 

“The keys are in the car actually,” Levi said, trying to sound conversational. He cleared his throat and looked up at a blinking Eren.

 

“Should we... get them? Or... wait around for a while?”

 

“Well, we could...” Levi began, not knowing what he wanted to say. He wanted to stay here, and he wanted to kiss this idiot in front of him, but he didn’t know how Eren would react to that. How could he touch Levi like that and not know how it made the senior feel? Honestly...

 

“Wait, so is the car unlocked?” Eren asked, his wrists limp.

 

“Huh?”

 

“You said they were in the car...”

 

Levi’s face paled.

 

“Oh shit.”

 

He dropped Eren’s hands and scrambled upwards. Eren shot him a confused look as he ran towards the car. He finally reached it and pressed his face against the window. The keys were thrown on the driver’s seat, along with his phone and wallet.

 

Levi stepped backwards and pulled the door.

 

He pulled it again.

 

It didn’t move.

 

Eren noiselessly made his way towards him. He stood behind the dark-haired senior. Levi tugged hard and took a step backwards, almost bumping into him.

 

“What’s wrong?” Eren asked, brows furrowing.

 

Levi hit his face with his palm.

 

“I locked the keys inside.”

 

Eren only made a noise of indignation.


	18. finally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im not too happy with how rushed & short this is... but please enjoy the fluff at the end! we're almost at closing :)

After spending several tense minutes trying to open the door, Levi remembered that they were able to get their bags out of the backseat.

 

The back doors of the car were unlocked, so he was able to crawl inside and unlock the driver’s seat.

 

It was pretty stupid, actually.

 

Eren had laughed hysterically, and well, Levi might have chuckled too.

 

 

 

 

 

The rooftop became _their_ spot. Levi knew it was stupid to call it something like that, but it was really the only place where he could get some peace and quiet. And then Eren soon joined him, and before he knew it they could find each other there. Sometimes Eren brought him some food he’d thought Levi would like, and Levi would flick Eren’s forehead whenever the sophomore would litter. Sometimes Eren would be fuming and upset and Levi would sit next to him, let him breathe. He didn’t always say the right things, but the younger boy never seemed to mind.

 

There were days that were spent more in quiet companionship than in actual conversation. Levi would talk when he felt like it, and whenever he did, well, at least Eren was listening.

 

It was peace and quiet and comfort, and Levi never wanted to let it go.

 

 

 

 

 

“Squash is pregnant.”

 

“What?”

 

Eren plopped next to Levi on the edge of the rooftop, his face grave.

 

“Our cat. Our cat is pregnant, Levi.” Eren said, brows furrowing.

 

Levi was quiet for a moment, at a loss for words.

 

“...I thought it was a boy?”

 

“Apparently she’s a girl.”

 

“How do you know it’s pregnant?”

 

“Well, she _looks_ pregnant. She also scratched Jean when he tried to pet her.”

 

“Huh. Doesn’t it—“

 

“She, Levi.”

 

Levi huffed. “Doesn’t she just hate him?”

 

“She was fine with him before.”

 

“Hm.”

 

“I wonder how many kittens she’ll have.”

 

“You’re not thinking of bringing them home, are you?”

 

Eren laughed. “Don’t worry. I can save one for you, Levi.”

 

“I wasn’t thinking of getting one.”

 

“Sure.”

 

“I hope the cat’s healthy.”

 

Eren looked at him, tilting his head to the side.  _What?_ It wasn't as if the eighteen-year-old was heartless, you know. There was always that shit about newborn animals dying early and stuff. Eren (and Levi, though it would take a lot for him to admit it) was fond of that fat cat, and Levi really hoped it would be okay. You know, for the green-eyed teenager. He just didn't want Eren to cry. And okay, Levi himself would be upset too if something bad happened to it...

 

“I hope they all survive. The kittens, you know.” Levi continued.

 

He glanced at Eren, but then quickly looked back away, focusing on the treetops and the blueness of the sky. The sophomore was smiling at him _differently_ , so softly as if... as if...

 

Levi didn’t know what it was like, but it definitely made his heart skip a beat or two.

 

“I hope they all survive too.” Eren said, stretching out his legs. “But they don’t have to worry, because you’ll help me with them, right?”

 

“What is it with you and strays?”

 

Eren laughed. The sound rang through the open air and for once, Levi closed his eyes and tried to relax.

 

“C’mon, Levi, I’m sure you know about giving things a second chance.” Eren said good-naturedly. He nudged Levi’s shoulder with his own and Levi’s eyes blinked open.

 

_What’s this? Is he... making fun of me?_

But Levi wasn’t angry or irritated or anything. Eren was grinning at him like he usually was, with his back relaxed and his legs swinging freely into open air. It was a joke probably, just a joke about the way they both confessed to each other at the wrong times. The memories still left a bitter taste on Levi's tongue, and he might have just felt guilty about being an ass at the start.

 

The universe just hated him, didn’t it?

 

“I think we both know about that.” He replied, trying to keep his voice just as casual. Levi folded up a leg and propped an elbow on it, trying not to look at Eren. He couldn’t help but feel... a mixture of exasperation and gratefulness.

 

He was glad that he could be with Eren and do all the shit they’d done together, even if it meant constantly pining, constantly hoping that one day it would change.

 

Maybe he’d have to graduate and go off to college without what he wanted... but for now, he could relax and enjoy it. For now, he could pretend that he had all the time in the world—

 

Eren held his sleeve.

 

Levi turned his head to look at him. Eren wasn’t tugging insistently or pulling to get his attention. He was just... holding onto Levi’s shirt almost like a lost kid.

 

“Eren?” Levi called out softly. The younger boy finally looked up at him, his bright eyes serious.

 

“I forgive you.” Eren said. Levi didn’t know what he was talking about. What was he talking about? Had Levi offended him in some way? He opened his mouth to speak but then closed it again, waiting for Eren to continue. He definitely caught Levi off guard, but the senior wasn’t going to upset him. This must have been on his mind for a while, or maybe Levi said something to remind him...

 

“I know we’ve been such a mess but we’re both _trying_ and—“ Eren almost gasped. “And I forgive you. I was mad at you for a while but the more time we spend together... the more I don’t mind anymore. I like you, Levi. I always have liked you and I just need to say it because I can’t—fuck, pretending that I could only ever like you as a friend was a stupid idea. I love hanging out with you. I love talking to you. And I want to do more. I want us... to be more.”

 

Levi gaped, not unlike a fish out of water, and didn’t know what to say. Eren was shaking, but his grip was strong, and as soon as he met the dark-haired senior’s eyes Eren’s green irises were blazing.

 

“Tell me what you feel.” Eren said, almost _commanded._ Then, all the fury from his expression was gone, leaving his voice quiet. “Please, I promise I won’t push you away anymore. I know what I want now. And I really... want you... here.”

 

What was there to say?

 

Levi could be honest, he supposed. There were so many things Eren deserved to hear, but Levi couldn’t string any of those words together. He was much better at quiet and action anyway. Well, Eren wasn’t that great with his words, either, and stupid words were what sent them apart anyway—

 

And stupid words were what pushed them together like this, achingly close to _something_ , because _holy shit did Eren just confess to him again?_ _Did they finally get the timing right?_

 

Levi’s brain was awfully slow at catching up.

 

“Remember all those times I confessed like an idiot to you?” Levi asked, voice rising in amusement. He was unbelievably glad, which seemed unfair considering Eren looked so _vulnerable_ , but Levi couldn’t be happier. _Eren liked him_. _Romantically_ , even, if he wasn’t horribly misunderstanding. “Well, whatever I felt then is nothing compared to what I feel now. I’m--“

 

Should he say it?

 

Levi tried not to stutter. It was difficult, because his heart was beating especially fast. He was tongue-tied. Eren was looking at him expectantly with those wide green eyes and he let out a noiseless exhale, aching for words.

 

“I’m in love with you.” They said at the same time.

 

Both of them blinked and stared at the other with wide eyes. It was almost like déjà vu, and then Eren was blushing harder than Levi had ever seen him blush—shit, Eren, any more and you might get an aneurysm—until Levi realized that his face was unbearably warm and well, okay, he was blushing too.

 

Eren laughed, finally releasing his grip on Levi's sleeve. Levi smiled crookedly, sighing. He leaned back and pulled himself away from the rooftop’s edge.

 

There was a shadow as Eren scooted closer to him. Levi looked up, thinking that he was about to say something, but then suddenly there was something soft pressed against his lips and Eren was kissing him, he was _kissing him._

 

Levi froze, wondering if this was another dream.

 

Well, if it was another dream...

 

He yanked Eren down by the collar and kissed him back fiercely. A laugh lumbered out of Eren’s throat at his roughness, but the sophomore smiled against his mouth. There was a steady, soothing presence on Levi’s hip, which he recognized as one of the taller boy’s hands.

 

They parted for a minute, with Eren’s collar still in Levi’s grip.

 

Levi released him and when Eren chuckled, Levi could feel it close to his face. He couldn’t resist the urge to smile again, even if he felt stupid with his lips threatening to curve up higher. How many times had he broken his poker face because of this kid? How many more times would he do it? Whatever the answer was, Levi knew that it would probably be  _a lot_. _  
_

“I want to kiss you again,” Eren declared, looking right into the senior’s eyes. Levi snorted.

 

“What’s stopping you, then?”

 

“You were surprised the first time. So hopefully you’re ready now.”

 

Before Levi could reply Eren was on him again, his mouth seeking Levi’s own. Levi nipped his lower lip in retaliation and Eren’s hands practically froze, but then they were on him again, one on his hip and another carefully gripping his knee.

 

Levi wrapped his arms around Eren’s neck and remembered to breathe.

 

They kissed and kissed and kissed. As soon as Levi’s tongue met Eren’s the sophomore gave a pleased groan, and the sound only made Levi clutch him tighter.

 

The bell rang sharply. Eren practically jumped away but Levi’s arms held him in place. They broke off with a gasp—well, a gasp from Eren’s side and a muffled _tch_ from Levi’s.

 

“I fucking hate that bell,” Levi mumbled absentmindedly, threading his fingers through Eren’s hair. The sophomore gave a pleased hum at the motion. _He really is cute_ , Levi thought. _He’s cute and he’s finally mine._

Levi pecked him on the lips once. Then twice. Then thrice. Eren giggled but didn’t try to push him away.

 

“We should get to class,” Eren said breathlessly.

 

“Hm.” Levi’s legs curled around Eren’s. He was essentially trapping him in place. “I was thinking of skipping actually. We’re having a substitute next period.”

 

“Oh?” Eren asked, eyes twinkling. He leaned forward, hands running down Levi’s sides. “I have History.”

 

“With Goldstein?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Any upcoming tests?”

 

Eren smiled wider. “Nope.”

 

“Then all you need to do is borrow some notes and you’ll be fine. His quizzes are all no-brainers, anyway.”

 

Eren chuckled. He nuzzled his nose into Levi’s hair.

 

“You’re a horrible influence,” he whispered, voice muffled.

 

“It was just a suggestion,” Levi replied with mock-hurt. “You don’t have to stay here.”

 

Eren pulled back and looked at him. Levi was almost taken aback by the intensity in his eyes. That determination, he supposed, was what made Eren who he was. And that determination was what drew Levi to him again and again.

 

“On second thought, I think I can survive.” He said, and then dove to capture Levi’s lips in another kiss.

 

Levi hummed against his mouth, dragging his hands down Eren’s back. Eren felt real underneath his touch, and Levi felt warm all over. This was real. This was definitely real. Levi wasn’t dreaming. It was happening, and it was perfect.

 

One day Levi knew Eren’s kisses would be familiar, just like the warmth of his arms or his hands or his chest, and the idea made his own heart flutter.

 

It wasn’t that the universe hated Levi. It was just that Eren loved him. Eren was in love with him.

 

And Levi was fiercely in love with Eren too.


	19. epilogue

Levi’s phone buzzed in his pocket and he reached for it. As soon as he had fished it out the phone vibrated again, almost slipping out of his fingers. He swore and found a text from Hanji.

 

_Hanji: video game nite @ mine on sat! Bring eren!! :D_

Levi's mouth twitched.

 

“What’s wrong?” Eren asked. He raised his head, or at least Levi felt his body shift. They were lying on the taller boy's bed and Levi was currently using Eren’s chest as a pillow. Levi sighed softly as he felt a hand running through his hair. Eren did that a lot, and sometimes Levi would grumble something like  _"don't mess up my hair"_ , while Eren would shake his head with a grin and promise that no, he would  _not_ do such a thing. Sometimes Eren lied, because he liked seeing Levi's hair mussed up for once, but honestly (not that Levi would admit it, although he was sure that Eren knew) it was soothing and that was why he'd stopped complaining about it.

 

“Hanji's holding a game night in her house on Saturday. I don’t recommend it, because she’s just going to interrogate you.” Levi replied dully. He was ready to shoot a quick reply. “She did that the last time Erwin dated someone. It was not pretty.”

 

Eren chuckled underneath him.

 

“Hanji’s pretty cool,” He replied. “And I kind of want to beat you at Mario Kart in front of all your friends.”

 

Levi reached backwards and swatted him blindly. Eren laughed, and his breath tickled Levi’s skin. He pressed a soft kiss against the senior's fingers softly, right as he was about to pull back. Levi cleared his throat, trying not to be embarrassed.

 

“You’re not going to beat me in front of all my friends.” The eighteen-year-old said. “ _I’m_ going to beat you at Mario Kart in front of all my friends.”

 

“Oh, so that means you’re coming, right? Great!” 

 

“What?” Levi scowled and craned his neck to look up at Eren, who was currently grinning. The senior sat up and saw that the boy had his phone in his other hand. He was texting someone.

 

“Hanji asked me too since she knew you’d say no. I already told her that you agreed.” Eren beamed at him. It was such a dick move, Levi thought, and if he wasn't momentarily blinded by the brilliance of this kid's smile then he would've done something more than glare at him. However, his phone buzzed in his hand, cutting off the rest of his thought.

 

_Hanji: im so glad u agreed!! Yaaay levi! :D_

Eren was smirking at him.

 

“I can’t believe you’re betraying me,” Levi said, shaking his head. He carelessly tossed his phone behind him and pounced on Eren without another word.

 

Eren yelped and crashed against the pillows. He bumped his head against the bedframe but laughed anyway as Levi crawled on top of him, holding down his hips and shoulders.

 

“Aww, Levi, it’ll be fun.” He said, smiling up at his dark-haired, well, boyfriend. They finally decided to get serious and call it _that_ soon after their (first, _cough_ ) make-out session on the rooftop. Levi wouldn’t admit it, but every time Eren called him “his boyfriend” or kissed him in public his heart flipped a little bit inside of his chest.

 

“You’re going to lose at Mario Kart, so I guess _I’ll_ be having all the fun,” Levi drawled. He sat on Eren’s hips and leaned down, his elbows digging into the mattress to support his upper body. Their faces were dangerously close, and Levi smirked as Eren looked up at him and blushed.

 

_I can still get him to blush like that? Go, Levi._

Eren’s hand shot up and pressed against the back of Levi’s neck. The senior toppled forward and their lips met with more force than necessary. Still, it only took him a moment to reorient himself. They kissed hard for a few aching seconds, and Levi could feel Eren’s fingers gently scratching against his undercut.

 

When they finally parted Eren was the one smirking, and Levi tried very hard to keep up his usual poker face.

 

Eren’s smirk only grew wider, and Levi thought, _fuck it._

 

He kissed Eren again and carefully ran his tongue along the other boy’s lower lip. A pleased groan made its way out of Eren’s throat and he opened his mouth, allowing Levi to kiss him deeper.

 

Levi felt Eren’s hands trailing down his sides and his back before they settled on his ass. Eren gave a firm squeeze, and Levi tensed and kissed him harder as _revenge_ , because _you little shit—_

 

The door slammed open and Levi shot up. Eren nervously swallowed underneath him.

 

Mikasa was staring at them with thinly-veiled amusement in her eyes.

 

“Mom said Levi can stay for dinner.” She announced. Eren glared at her and she snorted. “I don’t know if she approves of him sleeping over, though.”

 

“Please knock next time,” Eren grumbled. Mikasa rolled her eyes and turned away, shrugging one shoulder.

 

The door quietly clicked shut behind her and Eren groaned, running a hand down his face. A moment passed and he sighed, relaxing back against the bed.

 

“Um, let’s get back to where we were, shall we?” Eren asked, suppressing a giggle. He sent Levi a cheeky grin and carefully slid his hands up the senior's thighs.

 

“Hm, we should probably help your mom with dinner. You know, to thank her for letting me stay.” Levi said casually. He just wanted to rile Eren up a bit, honestly, and it was funny seeing Eren sexually frustrated for once.

 

“Huh? We can help wash the dishes if you like later. But now she’s fine. C’mon. She’s always been bugging me for an excuse to have someone over so she could cook more and interrogate them—Levi?”

 

Levi carefully got off the brunette and swung his legs over the bed. Eren shot up and made a noise of indignation.

 

“Levi!”

 

Levi smirked, making his way towards the door.

 

_This is revenge for that stunt you pulled with Hanji._

 

As soon as he turned the doorknob Eren’s arms were around his waist. He buried his head into Levi’s shoulder and the older teenager sighed, reaching up to ruffle his hair.

 

“You’re like a fucking puppy,” Levi muttered fondly.

 

Eren only hugged him tighter.

 

“Hey, Eren, I think I smell spaghetti.”

 

At this, Eren perked up and Levi pushed the door open, rolling his eyes. He slid out of Eren's grip as they exited the room and made their way down the stairs. Mikasa was sitting on the couch in the living room, her eyes focused on the television. Without looking up at them, she called out, “So Levi, how’s that kitten you’ve been looking after?”

 

“She’s fine.” Levi replied dully. He could’ve sworn that Mikasa was smirking from the corner of his eye.

 

“I heard that she was sick,” Mikasa said, finally turning her head to look at him. Levi’s eye twitched and he frowned.

 

“She’s been to the vet. She’s okay.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Levi was worried sick but the little guy really is okay! I saw her recently.” Eren interrupted, beaming. He pressed against Levi’s side and the dark-haired teenager’s lips twitched. He was still glaring at Mikasa and it was really difficult to keep a stoic face when Eren was curled up against him like that... Damn it, Eren, they were standing in the _living room_.

 

“Worried sick, is it?” Mikasa asked, tone almost mocking. Levi almost bristled.

 

“Dinner!” Eren’s mother shouted from the kitchen. Eren tugged on Levi’s hand and dragged him away, sensing the bad atmosphere.

 

“Your sister is evil,” Levi whispered to the brunette. Eren laughed as they finally made their way to the dining table.

 

Before they took a seat Eren pecked him on the cheek, and Levi froze. Eren’s snicker was pretty loud next to him. He discreetly flicked him on the nose. Eren's mother was currently preoccupied with setting down the large plate in her hands and hadn't noticed.

 

“Thank you for inviting me over, Mrs. Jaeger,” Levi said smoothly, putting up his best charming expression. Eren’s mother beamed at him from across the table as she held out a serving spoon.

Levi felt Eren intertwine their fingers together underneath the table. The food smelled nice and it was a Friday evening and Eren was sitting next to him.

 

Levi allowed his lips to quirk up into a happy smile.

 

Everything was changing, but he supposed he didn’t mind.

 

After all, look at what Eren had done to him. Look at all that they'd donetogether. When had simple things made him so happy? _  
_

 

Well, whatever it was, this felt fucking magical.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for sticking with me until the end! i appreciate every single kudos, comment, bookmark and bookmark comment, and they all made me smile. i wouldn't have finished this fic if it weren't for you guys cheering me on! thank you very much again, dear readers. <3
> 
> this fic is now complete, however some oneshot sequels will arrive in the distant future... tbh this is the first multichapter fic i have ever completed (and i've been writing fic for years!) so im still kinda stunned. once again, i really hope you liked this, and please have a wonderful week! :)
> 
> if any of u have questions or want 2 gush about ereri/snk in general (HAVE U GUYS SEEN SPOILERS FOR 69 OMG) i have a [tumblr](http://shotgunbreeding.tumblr.com), although it's not r an anime blog :)


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